University of Minnesota Athletics
Blankenship Awarded WCHA Post-Grad Scholarship
6/7/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association announced that former Gopher Kelli Blankenship is one of three recipients of the annual WCHA Post-Graduate Scholarships. Also awarded a scholarship was Minnesota Duluth's Kyle Schmidt and St. Cloud State's Courtney Josefson. Blankenship is the second Golden Gopher to be awarded the scholarship as Kelsey Bills received one during the 2005-06 season.
“It is with great admiration that we announce the WCHA Post-Graduate Scholarship winners for 2011-12,” said Commissioner Bruce M. McLeod and Associate Commissioner Sara R. Martin in a joint statement. “These three outstanding student-athletes continue the tradition of excellence established by our previous post-graduate scholarship recipients and they represent the very best of collegiate athletics.
“The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is most fortunate to have had Kyle, Kelli and Courtney competing in the league at a high level the past four seasons – both in the classroom and on the ice – at their respective schools and today we salute their tremendous accomplishments. On behalf of the entire WCHA family, we all wish them all the best in their future endeavors and we have no doubt each of them will achieve measurable success in their lifetimes.”
An advocate of excellence both on and off the ice for student-athletes, the WCHA first announced the annual men’s and women’s post-graduate scholarship program in April of 2003, with the initial recipients named after the 2003-04 academic year. The WCHA Post-Graduate Scholarships are grants of $10,000 each that are presented annually to a male and female student-athlete for post-graduate studies. Blankenship and Josefson are co-recipients and each will receive a grant of $5,000.
Blankenship (Lusby, MD) played four years for the Minnesota Golden Gophers from 2006-10. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology-Exercise Science, owned a cumulative grade point average of 3.474, earned recognition on UM’s Dean’s List, and was honored as a All-WCHA Academic Team member three times. Her four years on the ice as a forward encompassed 148 games and resulted in 28 goals, 33 assists and 61 points. She was also a two-time NCAA Women’s Frozen Four participant with the Gophers.
Said her head coach, Brad Frost, “Kelli is the definition of a student-athlete. Academics was always just as important to her as athletics. On the ice, she was never our leading scorer, but she played a vital role in our team’s success. She was fast, smooth and a threat when she was on the ice; she always played her best in the big games.
“Kelli is one of the greatest success stories we’ve every had at Minnesota. She has struggled with dyslexia and perfectionism throughout her life and almost wasn’t admitted to UM. But she put aside those worries and earned a 4.0 her first semester. She then carried that momentum and hard work on throughout her college career and is now about to start Dental school. Who would have thought that Kelli would be where she is today? I believe Kelli did.”
Said Elizabeth Eull, Senior Associate Athletics Director at Minnesota, “Kelli is a dedicated, focused, and caring student-athlete who will excel at anything she sets her mind to. She has a clear vision of her future in working in the dental industry and her goals will be accomplished by her commitment to academic excellence. Kelli has an impressive line up of regular volunteering, representing the Golden Gophers in area elementary schools and community centers promoting healthy lifestyles and the importance of education to youth. She is an ambassador of what we admire in student-athletes.”
Of her future plans, Blankenship said, “I have been accepted into the dental hygiene program at UM but I also plan to apply for my Master’s in the newly-created profession of Dental Therapy. I have a passion for dentistry and as a dental therapist or hygienist I would serve low-income and under served patients. I want to make a difference in the community by serving people who are in need of oral care and education. This summer I also plan to apply for a teaching assistant position for the Upward Bound program due to my passion for education. This WCHA Post-Graduate Scholarship is a wonderful chance for me to receive something special and in return to give back by helping someone else attain his or her dreams.”
Nominating Blankenship for the WCHA Post-Graduate Scholarship was Dr. Perry Leo, Professor in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics at UM. “As Faculty Athletic Representative, I have gotten to know many student-athletes and I am tremendously impressed with their ability to balance academics with athletics as well as with their desire to start a profession and make the world a better place,” said Leo. “Kelly is at the top of my list; she is a dedicated and driven student-athlete who has excelled during her time at the University of Minnesota. I have no doubt she will succeed and she has a strong desire to learn and a caring spirit. She has had a positive impact on her community, an unwavering commitment to athletics and a clear desire to make things better for others.”
History of the WCHA Post-Graduate Scholarship
The original announcement of the WCHA Post-Graduate Scholarship program, in 2003, was made jointly by P.J. Hill, then Chair of the Association and Faculty Representative from the University of Alaska Anchorage and WCHA Commissioner Bruce McLeod. In announcing the post-graduate scholarship program, Hill said, “This represents another positive step forward for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association in the area and recognition of academic achievement. We are extremely proud of the excellent reputation our member institutions have in both athletics and academics, and this new post-graduate scholarship program will only enhance that.”
The first winners of the men’s and women’s WCHA’s Post-Graduate Scholarship in 2003-04 were Mike Colgan of Colorado College and Michelle McAteer of the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Following is an outline of the WCHA’s post-graduate scholarship program: Criteria: 1. the nominee must graduate by the end of the academic year (or by the end of the summer) and must have earned at least a 3.0 grade-point average. 2. the nominee must have competed in the WCHA for at least three years.
Nominating Process: A student-athlete must be nominated by the Faculty Athletics Representative. Nominations are due April 15th. Selection Process: Scholarship recipients and alternates will be selected by a vote of an Association Committee composed of five Faculty Athletics Representatives. The Association selection committee(s) will review and make the final selections. The committee(s) may select one male and one female winner annually to receive the WCHA post-graduate scholarship, as well as an alternate for each scholarship. Selections will be made by the committee by May 15th.
Process Following Nomination and Selection: Following notification, the award winners have until July 1 to accept, in writing, the scholarship. Announcements will be made at the kick-off event at the student-athlete recipient’s home venue the following fall. The winners must enroll in graduate school within five years of graduation. Designated full-time enrollment (post-graduate degree hours) shall be required and verification from the program director must be presented to the Conference office before the award shall be presented. The scholarship money will be sent directly to the post-graduate institution.
WCHA Post-Graduate Scholarship Recipients
2003-04
Men’s – Mike Colgan, Colorado College
Women’s – Michelle McAteer, University of Minnesota Duluth
2004-05
Men’s – Reid Goolsby, Colorado College
Women’s – Emma Laaksonen, Ohio State University
2005-06
Men’s – Jake Brandt, University of North Dakota
Women’s – Kelsey Bills, University of Minnesota
2006-07
Men’s – Ted O’Leary, University of Denver
Women’s – Meghan Mutrie, University of North Dakota
2007-08
Men’s – Nate Raduns, St. Cloud State University
Women’s – Denelle Maguet, St. Cloud State University
2008-09
Men’s – Andrew Thomas, University of Denver.
Women’s – Laura Fast, St. Cloud State University
2009-10
Men’s – Jake Gannon, Colorado College
Women’s – Myriam Trepanier, University of Minnesota Duluth
2010-11
Men’s – Eli Vlaisavljevich, Michigan Technological University
Women’s – Caitlin Hogan, St. Cloud State University
2011-12
Men’s – Kyle Schmidt, University of Minnesota Duluth
Women’s (co) – Kelli Blankenship, University of Minnesota and Courtney Josefson, St. Cloud State University
*Release courtesy of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association
