Wayne State University Director of Athletics Rob Fournier announced today the 2011-12 Male and Female Student-Athletes of the Year. Candidates were judged on academic distinction, athletic accomplishments, individual involvement and University and community service, as well as coaches' recommendation.

Senior swimmer Catherine Leix (Flint, Mich./Northwestern) and senior football running back Josh Renel (Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester Adams) were selected as the 2011-12 female and male student-athletes of the year after being nominated by their respective coaches with voting by the athletic department's coaches and administrative staff.

"In a year when we celebrated a national championship and a runner-up national championship, it is no wonder the athletic department voted Catherine and Josh as our respective Student-Athletes of the Year,” said Fournier. “Their contributions were impressive -- not only in achieving those national performances but their work in the classroom as Academic All-Americans and in the community set an example we should acknowledge.”

Leix (pictured left) earned five All-America accolades at the 2012 NCAA Division II Championship helping the women's squad earn the team national title, the first in school history.  She was selected as the 2011-12 Detroit Athletic Club Michigan Female Student-Athlete of the Year.

The 2012 CoSIDA Academic At-Large All-American of the Year (becoming the first WSU student-athlete in school history to earn Academic All-American of the Year honors), Leix maintained a 3.95 cumulative grade-point average in science education secondary.  She had at least a 3.50 term gpa all 10 semesters (took a medical redshirt in 2009-10) with six 4.00 terms.

At the 2012 league championship meet, Leix repeated as conference champion in the 500 free (4:54.40) and 1650 free (17:09.60) and broke the Jenison pool records in both events along with the 21-year-old GLIAC record in the 500 free.  She concluded her collegiate career as a 16-time All-American.

Renel, selected to the Hansen's Football Gazette All-America Third Team as an all-purpose back and D2Football.com Honorable Mention All-America also as an all-purpose back, was the recipient of the 2011 GLIAC's Jack McAvoy Award which is presented annually to the GLIAC football player who best combines outstanding character and leadership on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.

The Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team selection, Renel was a national semifinalist for the William Campbell Trophy and a nominee for the AFCA Good Works Team.  He also received membership into 2012 NFF (National Football Foundation) Hampshire Honor Society.  He carried a 3.52 cumulative grade-point average in marketing.

Renel concluded his career with the highest punt return average (11.7) in WSU history.  He was second in all-purpose yards (5,595), punt returns (67) and punt return yards (784), third in rushing yards (2,767), kickoff returns (64), kickoff return yards (1,600) and kickoff return average (25.0), fifth in rushing touchdowns (28), tied-for-fifth in touchdowns (32), sixth in rushing attempts (533), tied-for-sixth in points (192), and seventh in average yards per rush (5.2).

This is the 11th year of the WSU Student-Athlete of the Year award. The first recipients were softball player Kelly Kashmerick and hockey player David Guerrera, while cross country runner Shelly Vickery and hockey player Dustin Kingston were the 2002-03 honorees. The 2003-04 student-athletes of the year were women's hockey player Kim Spaulding and swimmer David Lutz. Lutz became the first two-time winner in 2004-05 along with Anna Vinnikov, a member of the women's fencing squad. The 2005-06 recipients were diver Erika Barczak and swimmer Nick Ingrao, while the 2006-07 recipients were Anna Garina, a national champion fencer, and Kris Krzyminski, an All-American basketball player. All-American baseball player Anthony Bass and Barczak were selected following the 2007-08 school year, with swimmers Ashley St. Andrew and Sean Smith being voted for the 2008-09 season.  Softball pitcher Casey Hanes and swimmer Cauli Bedran were the 2009-10 recipients, while baseball catcher Mike Wiseman and tennis student-athlete Sharon Gill were honored following the 2010-11 school year.