WACO, Texas - Thirty-four Baylor University student-athletes and 11 of its athletic teams were honored for academic excellence and community service during the 2015-16 Student-Athlete Banquet in the Ferrell Center on Monday, May 2.

"The banquet is the conclusion of another outstanding academic year in Baylor Athletics. Our student-athletes continue to prove that Baylor is dedicated to excellence in the classroom, the community and in competition," said Baylor Vice President and Director of Athletics Ian McCaw. "Academic excellence is our tradition in Baylor Athletics and our student-athletes spend countless hours after games and practices in order to excel in the classroom and in the community."

The University annually salutes the student-athlete from each team that records the highest grade point average. Academic achievement awards were presented to the following Baylor student-athletes: Courtney Pate, acrobatics & tumbling; Richard Cunningham, baseball; Al Freeman, men's basketball; Chardonae Fuqua', women's basketball; Greg Bostick, men's cross country; Leila Rohde, women's cross country; Rachel Van Allen, equestrian; Blake Blackmar, football; Matthew Perrine, men's golf; Dylan Kim, women's golf; Precious Akanyirige, soccer; Robin Landrith, softball; Felipe Rios, men's tennis; Blair Shankle, women's tennis; JR Hardy, men's track & field; Jenna Pfeiffer, women's track & field; Jana Brusek, volleyball; Katie Lovejoy, trainer. Of that group, earning perfect 4.0 GPAs were Bostick, Kim, Rohde and Van Allen.

The Big 12 Conference Senior Award, which recognizes a male and female senior athlete who has excelled in the classroom, on the field and in the community, was awarded to softball's Heather Stearns and football's Spencer Drango.

The President's Cup, which is awarded to the team that carries the highest cumulative grade point average, was presented to the women's golf team for the second straight year.

The Provost Award recognizes the teams that have achieved an overall term or cumulative GPA higher than the previous semester's. This year 11 teams earned Provost Award status: acrobatics & tumbling, men's and women's basketball, men's cross country, equestrian, football, men's and women's golf, men's tennis, men's track and field and volleyball.

Women's basketball's Alexis Prince and men's basketball's Taurean Prince were recipients of the seventh annual John Westbrook Award for Courage and Perseverance. The award recognizes one male and one female Baylor student-athlete who overcame great personal, academic or emotional challenges to achieve academic success while making positive contributions to their respective teams.

Winning the C.H.A.M.P.S Cup for community service for the third consecutive year was the equestrian team. The NCAA Champs/Life Skills program is designed to encourage academic excellence and community outreach for student-athletes across the country, with student-athletes from all sports participating in a variety of community outreach programs throughout the academic year.

In addition, Baylor's eight Big 12 Dr. Gerald Lage Award winners were recognized. Those recognized for the Conference's highest academic honor were Haleigh Blackwell, JR Hardy, Chris McElroy, Jennifer Pfeiffer and Catherine Zabilski, track & cross country; Alyson Johnson and Courtney Pate, acrobatics & tumbling and Hadley Young, soccer.

As voted on by the Baylor student-athletes for their impact on their academic careers, this year's Outstanding Professor Award winners were: Blair Browning, John Cunningham and Jane Damron, communications; Cari Edison, Carie Ford and Tim Thomasson, accounting; Monica Choucair, Sara Dye, Alexander Engebretson, Ginger Hanchey, Kala Holt and Laura McBride, English; Lauren Poor, history; Kevin Dougherty and Randy Jacobs, sociology; Dale Connally, Mar Magnusen and Glenn Miller, health human performance and recreation; Heidi Marcum, environmental science; Steve Sadler, religion; Jeremy McElroy, Jim Moshinskie and Joy Young, information systems; Maxey Parrish, journalism, public relations and new media; Lora Tu (marketing); Paul Zinke, chemistry; Brandon Blagg, management; Dwight Russell, physics. Additionally, the following 11 student-athletes were honored as graduates of Baylor Athletics' Leadership 360 program: Ayana Taylor, acrobatics & tumbling; Greg Bostick and Matt Galvin, men's cross country and track and field; Catherine Duhring, Bailey Hughes, Kaylyn Paulsen and Emily Reder, equestrian; Hadley Young, soccer; Mate Zsiga, men's tennis; Jenna Pfeiffer and Kaylyn Schultz, women's track.