TOLEDO, OH – Eight University of Toledo student-athletes were named Distinguished Scholar Athletes from the fall season today by the Mid-American Conference. The awards were voted on by faculty athletic representatives at MAC institutions representing the 'best of the best' from each sports Academic All-MAC team.  

The UT football team had the most honorees (4), followed by women's soccer (2), men's cross country (1) and women's cross country.

The Distinguished Scholar Athlete is given to student-athletes who have excelled in athletics and academics.  Following each season from the fall sports schedule, any student-athlete with a 3.20 GPA and participation in at least 50 percent of the contests was automatically named to the previously announced Academic All-MAC Team from each sport.  Also, first-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence were not eligible for the award.

From the Academic All-MAC Teams, the faculty athletic representatives selected the 'best of the best' of the Academic All-MAC Teams to be honored with Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award for the 2015-16 season.  The number of Distinguished Scholar Athletes from each sport is equivalent to the number of first-team selections or 33% of the nominees, whichever was greater.

Later this spring, the MAC will announce the Distinguished Scholar Athletes from the remaining 16 winter and spring sports sponsored by the Conference.

Toledo's 2015 MAC Distinguished Student-Athletes
Men's Cross Country 
Jax Talbot, Toledo, Sophomore, 4.0, Pre-Pharmacy (Cincinnati, OH)
 
Women's Cross Country 
Stephanie Barlow, Toledo, Sophomore, 3.871, Elementary Education (San Antonio, TX)
 
Football
Allen Covington, Toledo, Senior, 3.25 GPA, Criminal Justice (Tampa, FL)
Storm Norton, Toledo, Junior, 3.40 GPA, Criminal Justice (Toledo, OH)
Brad Spelman, Toledo, Sophomore, 3.84 GPA, Accounting (Hilliard, OH)
Cody Thompson, Toledo, Sophomore, 3.61 GPA, Business (Huron, OH)
 
Women's Soccer 
Isa Echeverri, Toledo, Senior, 3.763, International Business (Medellin, Colombia)
Chiara Paradiso, Toledo, Sophomore, 3.936, Fine Arts (Columbus, OH)