GOLD RIVER, Calif. – Stanford senior Belle Battistoni was named Pac-12 Women's Rowing Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Sunday.
Battistoni is the Cardinal's eighth Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year and fourth straight honor, following Annabelle Bachmann (2023), Nicole Pofcher (2022), Grace McGinley (2021), Naomi Cornman (2015), Ali Fauci (2014), Mariele Higgins (2012), and Erika Roddy (2011). Stanford is the only school to win the women's rowing scholar-athlete award four years in a row since the honor was created for the 2007-08 academic year.
The Issaquah, Wash. native is a Management Science and Engineering major with a cumulative 4.063 grade-point average (GPA).
Battistoni is a true leader on and off the water for the Stanford women's rowing program. Throughout the 2024 season, she has been a cornerstone of Stanford's varsity eight boat, racing in the Cardinal's top boat in all races this season. Last season, Battistoni helped the team and second varsity eight to national titles, the Cardinal's first since 2009, rowing in the stroke seat.
Battistoni has also competed as a member of the USA National Team, stroking the U23 women's eight boat to a gold medal and setting a new world record at the World Rowing Championships in 2022. Alongside her NCAA team and boat national championships and world title, Belle is a two-time Pac-12 team champion (2022, 2023) and a two-time NCAA championships runner-up (both team (2021, 2022) and Second Varsity Eight, 2021; Varsity Eight (2022)).
On dry land, Battistoni is the definition of a scholar as a two-time CRCA National Scholar-Athlete and three-time Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll awardee. Battistoni spent the summer of 2023 working for Sustainability Research and Strategy, BDA, LLC, conducting supply chain research on over 800 suppliers to detect greenwashing through attention to detail. She created a database of supplier-sustainable products, certifications, and initiatives and increased merchandising sustainable sourcing efficiency and information by 250% while consulting with key suppliers and internal teams on solutions for mutual company alignment and prioritization. During the 2022 school year, she worked on team of four to write 28-page report examining Johnson & Johnson's talcum powder lawsuit, analyzing the relationships between the corporation and the public, key stakeholders, and the government. Her group was selected as exemplary and asked to prepare and deliver a PowerPoint presentation to class of over 100 students.
In her free time, she tutors high school students in math and physics for Sports & Scholars, a student-oriented private academic tutoring and private athletic coaching service, committed to the academic and athletic success of students and athletes. Post graduation, Battistoni will join the Voleon Group as an Operation Associate.
The Pac-12 selects Scholar Athletes of the Year in 24 sponsored sports: baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's cross country, women's cross country, beach volleyball, football, men's golf, women's golf, women's gymnastics, women's lacrosse, men's rowing, women's rowing, men's soccer, women's soccer, softball, men's swimming and diving, women's swimming and diving, men's tennis, women's tennis, men's track and field, women's track and field, women's volleyball, and wrestling.
The nomination criteria are: senior (in athletics eligibility) on track to receive a degree, cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, participation in at least 50 percent of the scheduled contest in the sport, and a minimum of one year in residence at the institution.
Each Pac-12 institution nominates 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.