Valparaiso University awarded 115 student-athletes with Presidential Honors while also handing out the Laurel Award at the 17^th Annual Academic Honors Banquet for Student-Athletes which was held on Sunday evening in the Athletics-Recreation Center.

            Presidential Honors are awarded to student-athletes who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.25-or-higher after at least three semesters at Valpo.  All 18 sports in addition to cheerleaders and Crusaderettes had student-athletes obtain the honor.

            Emily Batteiger (Bargeersville, Ind.), a member of the women’s soccer program, was presented with the annual Laurel Award, honoring the graduating senior student-athlete who achieved the highest cumulative grade point average. Batteiger, a psychology major, and Jamie Petitto (Carol Stream, Ill.), also a member of the women’s soccer program and a communications: TV-radio major, also earned the Finishing at the Top Award – honoring graduating senior student-athletes who earned a cumulative GPA of 3.9-or-higher.

            In addition, a pair of senior student-athletes annually give remarks on their experiences throughout their Crusader careers.  This year, baseball player Zach Rodeghero (New Lenox, Ill.) and volleyball player Sara Hughes (San Antonio, Texas) had the honor of addressing the nearly 200 student-athletes, families, administration members, and professors that were in attendance.