FARMVILLE — From the 2015 Longwood University class valedictorian to the program’s first Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Longwood athletics laid claim to some of the most talented and versatile students at the university this past year. Dr. Consuelo Alvarez, Longwood University Associate Professor of Biology and Chemistry/Faculty Athletic Representative, compiled a list of those awards, available below.

Among the standouts was women’s soccer star Kelsey McDonald, who capped her collegiate career by receiving Longwood’s prestigious Sally Barksdale Hargrett Prize, which goes to the senior with the highest grade point average in the graduating class. Also on the list was four-year lacrosse starter Liz Trainer, the Big South Lacrosse Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and men’s golfer Jason Schumacher, who was one of two winners – alongside McDonald – of the Longwood Henry I. Willett Scholar-Athlete Award.

Longwood’s academic success among its student-athlete population spread across all 14 sports last season. Grade point averages for the school’s 14 varsity programs ranged from 2.70 to 3.43 with four of those teams – men’s cross country, men’s soccer, field hockey and lacrosse – all recording five-year highs. Men’s basketball and women’s cross country went on to post their highest spring GPAs in the past five years.

In total, 53 student-athletes made the Dean’s List during the fall and 56 in the spring. Thirteen appeared on the fall President’s List, and 12 received that honor in the spring. Women’s basketball player Emily Nylen was a President’s List selection last fall and spring, joining McDonald and Trainer in holding perfect 4.0 GPAs during both of those semesters.

McDonald was also named a CoSIDA Academic All-America third team selection as a senior, becoming Longwood’s first Academic All-American in the Division I era. She was named to the Big South All-Academic Team as well, joining 13 other Lancers to receive conference academic honors.

A full list of the awards from Longwood’s 2014-15 student-athletes is below.

2014-15 Major

Student-Athlete Awards

Longwood Sally Barksdale

Hargrett Prize

(Highest GPA in graduating class)

Kelsey McDonald (WSOC – Business Administration & Economics)

Longwood Sigma Xi

Research Society

Sara Jacobson (WLAX – Biology)

Longwood Henry I. Willett

Scholar-Athlete Award

Kelsey McDonald (WSOC – Business Administration & Economics)

Jason Schumacher (MGLF – Business Administration & Economics)

Academic All-America

Kelsey McDonald (WSOC – Business Administration & Economics)

Big South

Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Liz Trainer (LAX – Kinesiology)

Mid-American Conference

Scholar of Distinction Honor

Kate Colley (FH – Undeclared)

Big South Conference

All-Academic Team

Kyri Washington (BASE – Business Administration/Accounting)

Damarion Geter (MBB – Sociology)

Emily Nylen (WBB – Biology)

Russell Reed (MXC – Anthropology)

Gracie Piekarski (WXC – Therapeutic Recreation)

Clayton Forren (MGLF – Pre-Business)

Asha Bala Krishnan (WGLF – Business Administration)

Liz Trainer (LAX – Kinesiology)

Vaughn Fowler (MSOC – Business Administration)

Kelsey McDonald (WSOC – Business Administration & Economics)

Justina Augustine (SB – Liberal Studies, Elementary Education)

Dan Elston (MTEN – Kinesiology)

Malin Allgurin (WTEN – Business Administration)

Mid-American Conference

All-Academic Team

Jennifer Burris (FH – Kinesiology)

George A. Christenberry Award

The Big South Conference’s prestigious award for Academic Excellence.  The award is given to the male and female student-athlete who attains the highest GPA during their college careers.

Kelsey McDonald (WSOC – Business Administration)

Ed Becker (MTEN – Exercise Science)

Graduate Fellowship Scholarship

The Big South Conference selects one female and one male student-athlete as a means of recognizing the academic excellence of Big South Conference student-athletes who intend to pursue post-graduate studies upon graduation from a Big South Conference institution.

Taylor Cave (WSOC – Kinesiology)