Plains grad honored with UM athletes

Barbara Steward, from Plains was selected to the 2010 Spring

Academic All-Big Sky Conference team last week. 

Her selection was one of 37 athletes who were selected from The

University of Montana. The Grizzlies tied for second behind Eastern

Washington’s Big Sky-leading 54 selections.

Nineteen of Montana’s women’s outdoor track and field

student-athletes were honored, as were eight from the men’s outdoor

track and field team, four from the men’s tennis team and three

each from the women’s tennis and women’s golf teams.

The women’s track and field team has a cumulative 3.27 grade point

average, while women’s golf (3.23), men’s tennis (3.16) and women’s

tennis (3.11) are all well over 3.00. The men’s track and field

team finished the spring semester at 2.93.

The Eagles led the Big Sky in men’s track and field (20), men’s

tennis (seven) and women’s golf (five) selections.

Montana tied for second at 37 honorees with both Montana State and

Weber State.

Idaho State had 36, Northern Arizona 30, Northern Colorado 29,

Sacramento State 27 and Portland State 18.

Four Montana student-athletes wrapped up their collegiate careers

this spring maxing out on academic selections.

Mikolaj Borkowski of the men’s tennis team, who has a 3.42 GPA as a

health and human performance major, was a four-time selection.

A

trio of track and field athletes became eight-time indoor and

outdoor selections: Chris Hellekson, who has a 3.42 GPA as a

biology major, Kristen Steiner, who has a 3.48 GPA as a biology

major, and Brittany Williams, who has a 3.46 GPA as a health and

human performance major.

Kim Tritz, who has a 3.42 GPA as a biology major, finished her

career as an 11-time selection. She was a four-time cross country

and outdoor track and field pick and a three-time indoor selection.

She missed one indoor season of competition due to injury, which

kept her from going a perfect 12 for 12.