April 9, 2009

GREEN BAY, Wis. - For the second straight year, a trio of University of Wisconsin-Green Bay student-athletes was honored by the Division I-AAA Athletic Directors Association, as Green Bay men's basketball players Mike Schachtner (Somerset, Wis.) and Ryan Tillema (Randolph, Wis.) along with women's basketball's Erin Templin (Richland Center, Wis.) were named to their respective Division I-AAA Scholar-Athlete Teams. In addition to having more overall selections than any other school, Green Bay was the only institution with more than one men's player represented.

Since the inception of the men's and women's Division I-AAA Scholar-Athlete Team in 2003, Green Bay has had eight players recognized 11 times. Twice (Kristy Loiselle, 2003; Tiffany Mor, 2005) has Green Bay had the Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The honor is the third straight for Schachtner and second in a row for Tillema.

Schachtner, a 6-foot-9 senior, was a three-time Academic All-America selection as a Phoenix, becoming the first student-athlete in program history to do so. Green Bay's career leader in free throw accuracy (88.3 percent), Schachtner scored 1,667 points in his career to rank fifth-best in team history. A two-time Horizon League All-Academic selection, Schachtner was a four-year honoree to the Dean's List. Schachtner boasts a 3.81 grade-point average in psychology.

Tillema, a 6-foot-8 senior, finished his collegiate career second only to Phoenix scoring legend Tony Bennett in career three-point field goals (229) while ranking 11th in team history with 1,316 points. Tillema adds to his decorated senior season, as he was also an NABC District VI first team selection, was the Horizon League's Sixth Man of the Year and was a first-team all-Horizon League pick. He has a 3.40 GPA in business administration.

Templin becomes the third different Green Bay women's player in as many seasons to earn Division I-AAA Scholar-Athlete honors. A 6-1 senior, Templin was a top defender on Green Bay's record-setting 29-4 squad that led the nation with an astounding 50.8 ppg scoring defense. A versatile player, she led the team in rebounding, was second in blocks and third in steals. Templin, who was a Dean's List honoree and a Horizon League Honor Roll selection, has a 3.65 GPA in business administration.

Basketball players from all 95 Division I-AAA ADA member institutions were eligible for the honor; nominees were required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate study and have been a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletics credentials. The individual must have reached junior athletics and academic standing and have completed three academic semesters at the nominated institution. The student-athlete must also have participated in 50 percent of the games played at his/her designated position.

Now in its eighth year, the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association's mission is to enhance initiatives common to its Division I-AAA membership (those Division I institutions that do not sponsor football), in particular, aspects related to their flagship basketball program. This marks the seventh year the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) has released a Scholar-Athlete Team.

Men's Basketball Division I-AAA Scholar-Athlete Team
Name Institution GPA Major
Jason Holsinger* Evansville 3.89 Economics
Tomas Jasiulionis St. John's 3.60 Finance
Kevin Lisch Saint Louis 3.48/4.00 Business Administration/MBA
Phillip Martin Radford 3.91 Social Science & Philosophy/Religious Studies
Yves Mekango Mbala LaSalle 3.82 Integrated Science, Business & Technology
Milan Prodanovic Iona 3.66 Finance
Mike Schachtner Green Bay 3.81 Psychology
Robin Smeulders Portland 3.25 Marketing & Management
Ryan Tillema Green Bay 3.40 Business Administration
Andy Wicke Belmont 3.74 Environmental Studies

Honorable Mention:
Chad Troyer Pacific 3.50 Communications

* Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Women's Basketball Division I-AAA Scholar-Athlete Team
Name Institution GPA Major
Felicia Chester DePaul 3.76 Sociology
Elizabeth Doran Santa Clara 3.93 Bio-Engineering
Jenna Green UC Santa Barbara 4.00 Special Education, Disabilities & Risk Studies
Theresa Lisch Saint Louis 3.95 Communication Sciences & Disorders
Katelyn Murray St. Bonaventure 4.00 Biology
Jessica Pike * Oakland 3.93 Wellness, Health Promotion & Injury Prevention
Traci Ray Charlotte 3.72 Art History
Jami Schaefer Gonzaga 3.95 Business Administration
Erin Templin Green Bay 3.65 Business Administration
Jenny Van Kirk Bradley 4.00 Pre-Med
Natasha Williams DePaul 3.29/3.68 Corporate & Multicultural Communications

Honorable Mention:
Robyn Fairbanks Utah Valley 3.21 Exercise Science
Shannon Novosel Evansville 3.80 Mass Communications & Spanish
Morgan Robertson LaSalle 3.87 Political Science & Psychology

* Scholar-Athlete of the Year