RELEASED:   Tuesday, March 4, 2008

UW-Whitewater’s Schellin Earns Men’s Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete Award

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Jon Schellin has been named the 2008 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Max Sparger Men’s Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete.

A native of Columbus, Wis., Schellin is a senior and is double-majoring in secondary education social studies and economics.  He carries a 3.70 grade point average and is a two-time selection to the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Team.  Schellin is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and has been recognized on UW-Whitewater’s Dean’s List numerous semesters.

A team captain this season, he claimed the 55-meter hurdles title at the WIAC championship for the second straight year.  Schellin, the school record holder in the 55-meter hurdles, claimed All-America honors in the event last season with a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Division III championship.

He is a member of the Golden Key and Magna Cum Laude Honors Societies, Phi Eta Sigma and Wisconsin Educators Association.  Schellin has served as a lifeguard at UW-Whitewater’s Williams Center.

Also nominated for this year’s scholar-athlete award were:  UW-La Crosse’s Brad Peterson (Sr., Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead), UW-Oshkosh’s Kevin Lofy (Sr., Lake Geneva, Wis./Badger), Brian Kelley (Sr., Winnebago, Ill.), Scott Michel (Jr., Waupaca, Wis.) and Andrew Stendahl (Sr., Cottage Grove, Wis./Madison East), UW-River Falls’ Jason Phillipi (Sr., Maplewood, Minn./Tartan), UW-Stevens Point’s Nicholas Ver Duin (Sr., Howards Grove, Wis.), UW-Stout’s Robert Schmitz (Sr., Wells, Minn./United South Central) and UW-Superior’s Lee Sims (Sr., Crookston, Minn.).

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Max Sparger and sponsored by Hewlett-Packard.  Sparger served as commissioner of the Wisconsin State University Conference from July, 1971 - July, 1993.

In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.25 grade point average, be in their last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years.