Junior point guard Carolyn Kieger was honored March 2 for her work on the basketball court, being named second team All-Conference USA. Last week, she was honored for her work not just on the court, but off it as well.
"I saw (Marquette Athletics Director) Mr. (Bill) Cords one day and he congratulated me about receiving the award, but I had no idea what he was talking about," Kieger said.
Kieger was one of 10 women named to the Division I-AAA Women's Scholar Athlete Team by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.
A review committee made up of Division I-AAA athletics directors selected the team.
In order to be nominated, each candidate must have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 and must have been an important starter or reserve in 50 percent of a team's games.
Though Kieger was awarded for something away from the gym, it was an honor for her to receive the award.
"It's definitely a different award to receive," she said. "In college basketball, you are a student athlete, first and foremost. It's so important to juggle practice, conditioning and school work."
"It is an honor to be nominated and win."
"We are very proud of Carolyn," said head coach Terri Mitchell. "You hear all the time about what it means to give full effort on and off the court, and Carolyn does that."
Off of the court, Kieger holds a GPA of 3.60 in Broadcasting and Electonic Communications.
After three years on the court, she is two assists away from becoming only the second player in Marquette history to have 1,000 points and 500 assists.
Last season, Kieger's 185 assists (6.17 per game) tied her for first in C-USA (with South Florida's Anedra Gilmore) and put her at ninth in the nation in that category.
"Carolyn will have great success in life because of her mentality to never sell herself short," Mitchell said.
"It will pour over into everything she does whether she wants to keep playing or go into coaching.
"She has instilled a discipline in herself and in turn sends that message to the rest of the team," Mitchell said.
This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on April 14 2005.