June 15, 2012
Pac-12 Spring Scholar-Athletes of the Year
STANFORD, Calif. - Senior Marielle Higgins of the Stanford Women's Rowing team was named Pac-12 Women's Rowing Scholar-Athlete of the Year, presented by Toyo Tires Friday.
Higgins boasted a GPA of 3.67 at the time of nominations for the award, and will receive her bachelor's degree in human biology at this weekend's commencement exercises.
Higgins is one of three Cardinal scholar-athletes to earn the honor this spring. Ryan Thacher was named the men's tennis recipient and Chris Derrick was the men's track and field winner.
In order to be eligible for the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, student-athletes must be a senior (in athletics eligibility) on track to receive a degree, have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, participate in at least 50 percent of the scheduled contests in the sport and have a minimum of one year in residence at the institution. Each Pac-12 institution may nominate one individual per sport, and the winners are selected by a committee of Pac-12 staff members at the conclusion of each sport's regular season. The athletic accomplishments of the nominees are a consideration in the voting for the award.
Scholar-Athletes of the Year in each sport will receive a commemorative award. Toyo will donate $1,000 to the scholarship funds of the institution's athletic department of each winner in recognition of their accomplishments.
Higgins rowed with the Stanford II Eight over most of the past four years, and had stints with the Four as a freshman in 2009. She helped the Four to a fifth-place national finish as the Cardinal won its first NCAA team title in 2009, then earned NCAA silver and gold medals with the II Eight in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
She also earned gold medals at the Pac-10 Championships in 2010 and 2011, along with silver in 2009 and 2012 with the II Eight.
This season, Higgins helped the II Eight to the Pac-12 silver medal before taking 11th at the NCAA Championships. The II Eight's efforts helped the Cardinal take fourth in the team standings at the Pac-12 Championships and ninth at the NCAAs.