TOLEDO, Ohio — Six University of Toledo student-athletes were named Distinguished Scholar Athletes from the fall season by the Mid-American Conference. The awards were received following strong contributions in the field of competition during the fall and exemplary work in the classroom.       

The Rocket football and women's soccer programs led the way with two student-athletes recognized apiece. Men's and women's cross country each landed one student-athlete on the list. Senior Cody Thompson (football) received the honor for a third time, while senior Hannah Scafaria (women's soccer) and junior Athena Welsh (women's cross country) were honored for a second consecutive season.    

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 student 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' from the Academic All-MAC Teams to be honored with a 3.50 GPA or higher with the Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award for the 2018-19 season.  The number of Distinguished Scholar Athletes from each sport were equivalent to the number of first-team selections or 20% of nominees, whichever was greater.

     A complete listing of the six Toledo student-athletes to earn the 2018 Fall Distinguished Scholar Athlete award is below:

Football
Bailey Flint, Toledo, Sophomore, 3.769 GPA, Media Communication (Melbourne, Australia)
Cody Thompson, Toledo, Senior, 3.66 GPA; 3.74 Grad GPA, Marketing; Grad. Recreation & Leisure (Huron, Ohio)  

Women's Soccer
Natalie Knauf, Toledo, Senior, 3.94 GPA, Information Systems (Dewitt, Mich.)
Hannah Scafaria, Toledo, Senior, 3.51 GPA, Marketing (Kalamazoo, Mich.)  

Men's Cross Country
Matthew Gibbons, Toledo, Senior, 4.00 GPA, Mechanical Engineering (Oregon, Ohio)

Women's Cross Country
Athena Welsh, Toledo, Junior, 3.6180 GPA, Marketing (Louisville, Ohio)