The NCAA has awarded $10,000 to 42 extraordinary student-athletes as part of its Postgraduate Scholarship program. These student-athletes, representing spring sports across all three NCAA divisions, have demonstrated remarkable academic achievements, athletic excellence and leadership within their communities.
Former Colby women's lacrosse student-athlete and 2023 graduate Elizabeth Hennessey was one of the recipients of a scholarship. Hennessey was the 2023 IWLCA Division III Scholar-Athlete of the Year. A midfielder, Hennessey recorded a 3.87 cumulative GPA after earning IWLCA All-American and All-Region honors in 2023. She was an All-NESCAC honoree and earned the Patty Valavanis Award, which is given to a senior woman student-athlete at Colby who has demonstrated the qualities of academic and athletic excellence along with personal leadership and sportsmanship. Hennessy was a three-time NESCAC Spring Academic Team honoree and a two-time IWLCA Academic Honor Roll honoree. Hennessey finished her career at Colby with 88 points on 73 goals and 15 assists in 48 games played.
Each year, the NCAA awards 126 postgraduate scholarships to student-athletes who have completed their final year of athletics competition. The scholarships are distributed three times annually — in the fall, winter, and spring — providing 21 scholarships each to men and women per season. The award is a one-time, nonrenewable scholarship aimed at funding graduate study at an accredited institution.
Established in 1964, the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship program promotes and encourages graduate education by recognizing the Association's most accomplished student-athletes. The program evaluates candidates on their athletic and academic achievements, campus involvement, community service and leadership. An equitable selection process ensures that all nominees, regardless of sport, division, gender, or race, are considered fairly.
2024-25 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Spring Awardees
Men's Awardees
- Pablo Alemany Malea, Memphis, tennis
- Drake Ballard, Purdue Northwest, baseball
- Petar Basic Palkovic, Wingate, tennis
- Jamie Butler, Toledo, golf
- Morgan Conner, Nebraska Wesleyan, outdoor track and field
- Mason Cox, Martin Luther, baseball
- Braeden Duncan, Aurora, golf
- Reece Farrow, Adelphi, tennis
- Leo Freeland, Wingate, outdoor track and field
- Patrick Herrera, Kentucky, baseball
- Alan Jesudason, Tennessee, tennis
- Agustin Kalinowski, Hendrix, tennis
- Bennett Markinson, Northwestern, baseball
- Nick Melanese, Cal State San Marcos, outdoor track and field
- Divgurjot Singh, Benedict, tennis
- Ishaan Tibrewal, Grinnell, tennis
- Florian Walcher, Wingate, tennis
- Brandon Walker, Idaho State, outdoor track and field
- Jeffrey "Kirk" Waller, University of Chicago, baseball
- Hunter Wallster, South Dakota State, outdoor track and field
- Spencer Watry, Emory, outdoor track and field
Women's Awardees
- Savanna Brooks, Wingate, softball
- Megan Bunker, Regis (Colorado), lacrosse
- Avery Decker, Nebraska Wesleyan, outdoor track and field
- Liz Dierks, Augustana (South Dakota), softball
- Ella Ford, Nebraska Wesleyan, tennis
- Elizabeth Hennessey, Colby, lacrosse
- Leandra Hogrefe, Ohio State, rowing
- Anna Igims, Slippery Rock, outdoor track and field
- Janaki Jagannathan, Wooster, tennis
- Emma Kelley, Washington University in St. Louis, outdoor track and field
- Kylee Loewe, Texas Tech, golf
- Lucia Lopez Ortega, San Jose State, golf
- Phoebe McCowan, Kentucky, outdoor track and field
- Charlotte Newport, Augustana (Illinois), water polo
- Lanie Nitsch, Texas, rowing
- Michaela Pomatto, Stockton, outdoor track and field
- Jenna Rogers, Nebraska, outdoor track and field
- Darja Vidmanova, Georgia, tennis
- Heidi Vortherms, West Texas A&M, softball
- Jami Watson, East Central, softball
- Angie Zhou, Pomona-Pitzer, tennis
