University of Minnesota Athletics
Beattie and Walker Earn Academic Accolades
7/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
In February of 2008, Big Ten Faculty Representatives established a new conference academic recognition to supplement the Academic All-Big Ten program. Similar to the Academic All-Big Ten honor, Distinguished Scholar Award recipients must be letterwinners in at least their second academic year at their institution. However, the new award encompasses only student-athletes with a minimum GPA of 3.7 or higher for the previous academic year, excluding summer school. The Academic All-Big Ten threshold is a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for their academic career.
Beattie, a senior in 2009, graduated with a bachelor's degree in physiology this spring, and will be attending dental school at the University of Minnesota this fall. In addition to her Distinguished Scholar Award, she was also a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and was named an NAGCG/W Academic All-American in each year of her collegiate career. In her junior and senior seasons, Beattie was named one of Minnesota's Top Five, an honor given to the five upperclass student-athletes with the highest grade point averages. Beattie was a four-time letterwinner and competed in all four events during her collegiate gymnastics career.
Walker, also a senior in 2009, graduated with a bachelor's degree in neuroscience this spring, and is working toward a Ph.D. in neuroscience at the University of Texas - Southwest. Walker was named to the Academic All-Big Ten team three times, and earned Academic All-America honors from the NACGC/W in each year of her college career. She was a letterwinner in each year of her career, and was an all-around competitor. Walker was a top performer for the Gophers on bars, beam and floor before her senior season was cut short by injury.
Players Mentioned
