Lauren Jensen
Photo by: Creighton Athletics
Basketball Duo Named to DI-AAA ADA Scholar-Athlete Team
4/18/2023 11:40:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball
Lauren Jensen and Ryan Kalkbrenner honored
OMAHA, Neb. -- Creighton's Lauren Jensen and Ryan Kalkbrenner have been named to the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association 21st Annual Scholar-Athlete Team, presented by ARMS Software. Jensen is one of 11 women nationally to be recognized, while Kalkbrenner is one of 10 men to be honored.
A two-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, Kalkbrenner was named First Team All-BIG EAST and Field of 68's National Defensive Player of the Year after leading the Bluejay men's basketball team to the Elite Eight in 2022-23. The 7-foot-1 center averaged 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots per game while ranking third nationally with his 69.5 percent marksmanship from the field. Kalkbrenner was named First Team All-District by the USBWA and NABC and has played in more NCAA Tournament victories than any player in program history. The Florissant, Mo., native will complete his Management degree in May.
Jensen topped Creighton women's basketball with 16.1 points per game and shared the team-lead with 107 assists in 2022-23. She made 68 three-pointers and also connected on 81.3 percent of her free throw attempts. Jensen scored nine points or more in all 31 starts for the Bluejays, who finished 22-9 overall, and was named First Team All-BIG EAST. The Lakeville, Minn,. product is pursuing a degree in Sociology.
"I am excited to congratulate this year's men's and women's scholar-athlete teams as well as those selected to receive postgraduate scholarship awards," stated Division I-AAA 2nd Vice President, I-AAA Scholar-Athlete Team Selection Committee Chair and Director of Athletics at the University of North Carolina Asheville, Janet R. Cone. "The dedication that these individuals demonstrate both on the court and off are a testament to their work ethic shown during the demands of the basketball season."
Basketball players from all Division I-AAA ADA member institutions are eligible for these prestigious annual awards. Each of the nominees is required to maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (4.00 scale) in undergraduate study and have been a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletics credentials. Nominees must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games listed on the nomination form. To be eligible for nomination to the Scholar-Athlete Team, individuals must have reached junior academic standing at their respective institution (ineligible athletics transfers are not eligible).
Men's Scholar-Athlete Team
Women's Scholar-Athlete Team
A special review committee of Division I-AAA Athletics Directors were responsible for selecting the winners. The 2023 Review Committee consisted of Janet R. Cone (committee chair), UNC Asheville; Chasse Conque, UTRGV; Irma Garcia, St. Francis College; Phillip Hutcheson, Lipscomb University; Robert Lineburg, Radford University; Marianne Reilly, Manhattan College; and Kenneth Siegfried, University of Evansville.
About Division I-AAA ADA: Now in its 22nd year, the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association's mission is to enhance initiatives common to its Division I-AAA membership (the 98 Division I institutions that do not sponsor football), in particular, aspects related to their flagship basketball programs. For more information on the Division I-AAA ADA, please visit www.div1aaa-ada.com. The Division I-AAA ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 58th year. For more information on NACDA and the 18 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.
A two-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, Kalkbrenner was named First Team All-BIG EAST and Field of 68's National Defensive Player of the Year after leading the Bluejay men's basketball team to the Elite Eight in 2022-23. The 7-foot-1 center averaged 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots per game while ranking third nationally with his 69.5 percent marksmanship from the field. Kalkbrenner was named First Team All-District by the USBWA and NABC and has played in more NCAA Tournament victories than any player in program history. The Florissant, Mo., native will complete his Management degree in May.
Jensen topped Creighton women's basketball with 16.1 points per game and shared the team-lead with 107 assists in 2022-23. She made 68 three-pointers and also connected on 81.3 percent of her free throw attempts. Jensen scored nine points or more in all 31 starts for the Bluejays, who finished 22-9 overall, and was named First Team All-BIG EAST. The Lakeville, Minn,. product is pursuing a degree in Sociology.
"I am excited to congratulate this year's men's and women's scholar-athlete teams as well as those selected to receive postgraduate scholarship awards," stated Division I-AAA 2nd Vice President, I-AAA Scholar-Athlete Team Selection Committee Chair and Director of Athletics at the University of North Carolina Asheville, Janet R. Cone. "The dedication that these individuals demonstrate both on the court and off are a testament to their work ethic shown during the demands of the basketball season."
Basketball players from all Division I-AAA ADA member institutions are eligible for these prestigious annual awards. Each of the nominees is required to maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (4.00 scale) in undergraduate study and have been a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletics credentials. Nominees must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games listed on the nomination form. To be eligible for nomination to the Scholar-Athlete Team, individuals must have reached junior academic standing at their respective institution (ineligible athletics transfers are not eligible).
Men's Scholar-Athlete Team
| Name | Institution | Major | GPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fletcher Abee | University of North Carolina Asheville | Management | 3.7 |
| Max Abmas | Oral Roberts University | Mathematics-Pre Medicine | 3.8 |
| Rasir Bolton | Gonzaga University | Organizational Leadership | 3.7 |
| Josiah Harris | St. Francis College Brooklyn | Professional Studies | 3.5 |
| Ryan Kalkbrenner | Creighton University | Management | 3.2 |
| Sebastien Lamaute | Farleigh Dickinson University | Finance | 3.8 |
| Dan Petcash | Binghamton University | Psychology | 3.5 |
| Matt Schner | Lipscomb University | Business Administration | 3.8 |
| Cam Shelton | Loyola Marymount University | Entrepreneurship & Sustainable Innovation | 3.9 |
| Isaiah Thompson | Florida Gulf Coast University | Organizational Leadership | 3.8 |
Women's Scholar-Athlete Team
| Name | Institution | Major | GPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tayla Brugler | Saint Joseph's University | Sports Marketing | 3.9 |
| Sha Carter | Florida Gulf Coast University | Psychology & Criminology | 4.0 |
| Callie Cavanaugh | Fairfield University | Strategic Human Resources | 3.6 |
| Alyssa Fisher | St. Francis College Brooklyn | Biology, Health Care Management | 3.7 |
| Lauren Jensen | Creighton University | Sociology | 3.8 |
| Ila Lane | University of California Santa Barbara | Sociology | 3.7 |
| Destiny Leo | Cleveland State University | Sports Management | 3.3 |
| Maggie Pina | Boston University | Political Science | 3.9 |
| Callie Scheier | High Point University | Human Relations | 3.9 |
| Rosemary Schweizer | University of the Pacific | Political Science | 3.9 |
| Emina Selimovic | Siena College | Economics | 3.9 |
A special review committee of Division I-AAA Athletics Directors were responsible for selecting the winners. The 2023 Review Committee consisted of Janet R. Cone (committee chair), UNC Asheville; Chasse Conque, UTRGV; Irma Garcia, St. Francis College; Phillip Hutcheson, Lipscomb University; Robert Lineburg, Radford University; Marianne Reilly, Manhattan College; and Kenneth Siegfried, University of Evansville.
About Division I-AAA ADA: Now in its 22nd year, the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association's mission is to enhance initiatives common to its Division I-AAA membership (the 98 Division I institutions that do not sponsor football), in particular, aspects related to their flagship basketball programs. For more information on the Division I-AAA ADA, please visit www.div1aaa-ada.com. The Division I-AAA ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 58th year. For more information on NACDA and the 18 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.
Players Mentioned
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