GLIAC Press Release

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) announced the recipients of the Winter 2011 Meijer Commissioner's Awards on Thursday afternoon. The awards, sponsored by Meijer, Incorporated, are presented after the Fall, Winter, and Spring athletic seasons to six male and six female student-athletes that excel both in the classroom and on the fields of play.

The six female student-athletes to receive the Winter 2011 Meijer Commissioner's Awards are: Laura Bardall of the University of Findlay; Monica Kinney of Grand Valley State University; Lucy Dernovsek and Angela Guisfredi of Michigan Technological University; Pam Wilson of Northwood University, and Catherine Leix (Flint, Mich./Southwestern) of Wayne State University.

The six male student-athlete recipients of the Winter 2011 Meijer Commissioner's Awards are: John Guagenti of the University of Findlay; Austin Biefnes and Guy Kogel University of Inidanapolis; Mike Hojnacki of Michigan Tech; Michael Fugate of Saginaw Valley State University; and Matthew Laschuk (Tecumseh, Ont./Academie Ste. Cecile) of Wayne State University.

“These 12 student-athletes represent our cream of the crop.” stated GLIAC Commissioner Dell Robinson. “I am proud of their accomplishments on and off the field. The GLIAC greatly appreciates the support of Meijer for their sponsorship of the 2011 Commissioner's Award. The award and continued support by Meijer is evidence of our pursuit of academic excellence."

Leix, a redshirt junior at WSU, battled back from injury to become a two-time conference champion and four-time All-American this past season. Leix earned GLIAC titles in the 500 free and the 1650 free, and placed third in the 1000 free at the conference meet in February. She also led off the fifth-place 800 free relay. At the NCAA Division-II Championships in March, Leix finished fifth in both the 500 free and the 1650 free, seventh in the 1000 free (10:13.98) and 12th in the 200 free (1:52.08). A science education major at WSU, Leix has been named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll (term GPA 3.5+) all seven semesters, earning a perfect 4.00 in five of the seven terms.

A junior at Wayne State, Laschuk received his second consecutive NCAA Elite 88 Award, presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 88 championships. He also earned three All-America honors, finishing 14th in the 200 butterfly and 16th in the 200 breaststroke at the NCAA D-II Championships, and joining the sixth-place 400 medley relay. Laschuk finished sixth in both the 100 butterfly and the 100 breaststroke at the GLIAC Championships in February. He also came in seventh in the 200 breaststroke and joined the second-place 400 medley relay. A chemistry major at Wayne State, Laschuk has been named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll (term GPA 3.5+) every semester, earning a perfect 4.00 in four of the five terms.