RELEASED:  Tuesday, October 28, 2008

UW-Stout’s Czech Secures Women’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete Award

MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Stout’s Jodie Czech has been named the 2008 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete.

Czech, a senior from Foley, Minn., boasts a 3.80 grade point average and is majoring in hotel and restaurant management with a minor in human resource management.  She is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and has been named to her institution’s Dean’s List.  Czech has received a Chancellor’s Award and is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success.

She finished second at No. 2 singles at the WIAC championship a year ago after finishing fourth in 2006.  Participating at No. 3 singles during the 2005 meet, she recorded a fourth-place finish.  Czech is a three-year team captain and has received UW-Stout’s Most Valuable Player honor the last three seasons.  She claimed her team’s Spirit Award her freshman season and Hustle Award her sophomore year.

Czech is an active member in UW-Stout’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Club Managers Association of America and the SHRM Foundation Committee.  She has served as a Eucharistic minister and a volunteer for Kiwanis.

Also nominated for this year’s scholar-athlete award were UW-River Falls’ Mindy Rudiger (Sr., Menomonie, Wis.) and UW-Whitewater’s Jennifer Woyahn (Sr., Waukesha, Wis./South).

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Judy Kruckman who served as Assistant Commissioner for the WIAC from 1996-98.  Prior to this appointment, she functioned as Commissioner of the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from October, 1984 - September, 1996.

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.