Angelo State’s Marius Laib and UT Tyler’s Summer Grubbs were recognized as the Lone Star Conference Academic Athletes of the Year on Wednesday when league officials announced the LSC's annual academic awards for men's and women's indoor track and field.
Laib led a group of 11 on the LSC Men’s All-Academic team, while Grubbs headlined 11 standouts on the LSC Women’s All-Academic team.
A senior business administration major from Igensdorf, Germany, Laib ranks in the top 20 in the LSC in the long jump, heptathlon and high jump.
Grubbs, a junior biology major from Gladewater, Texas, earned a spot on the academic squad for the second straight year. She totaled 28 points at the 2021 LSC Championships, claiming gold in the 200-meters and 60 hurdles, and a second-place finish in the pentathlon.
To be eligible for LSC academic honors, student-athletes must carry at least a 3.30 grade point average and have reached sophomore status both athletically and academically. The Academic Athlete of Year award and All-Academic Team are selected from the list of academically qualified players, with the league's sports information directors voting on the basis of both academic and athletic achievement.
Joining Laib on the men's all-academic team was BU’s Noah Metzger and Jared Gilley; Oklahoma Christian’s Jelte van Atten and Colten Brown; Texas A&M-Commerce’s Mason Russ, Steven Sanchez, and Ryan Amador; Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Danree Delancy; UTT’s Zach Tucker; and West Texas A&M’s Jared Cummins.
On the women's team with Grubbs was Patriot teammate Natasha Carcano; ASU’s Antonija Radic and Mia Van Oudsthoorn; DBU’s Rylee Cristan, Emily Kent, and Jenna Thorman; TAMUC’s Minna Svaerd; TAMUK’s Kimberly Ortolon; and WT’s Leah Belfield and Miriam Zanovello.
Overall, 22 men and women were selected to the All-Academic teams including three-time honoree Van Oudsthoorn and four repeat selections – Metzger, Gilley, Delancy, Tucker, Grubbs and Svaerd.
2021 LSC INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD ALL-ACADEMIC AWARDS
MEN'S ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
| Player |
Team |
Yr. |
Major |
Hometown |
| Marius Laib |
Angelo State |
Sr. |
Business Administration |
Igensdorf, Germany |
| Noah Metzger |
DBU |
Jr. |
Biblical Studies |
McKinney, Texas |
| Jared Gilley |
DBU |
Jr. |
Biology |
Tyler, Texas |
| Jelte van Atten |
Oklahoma Christian |
Jr. |
Mechanical Engineering |
Leiden, Netherlands |
| Colten Brown |
Oklahoma Christian |
So. |
Computer Engineering |
Boise City, Okla. |
| Mason Russ |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
Jr. |
Kinesiology & Sports Studies |
Grove, Okla. |
| Steven Sanchez |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
Grad |
Health, Kines., & Sports Studies |
New Braunfels, Texas |
| Ryan Amador |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
So. |
Kinesiology & Sports Studies |
Jonesboro, Ark. |
| Danree Delancy |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
Jr. |
BioMedical Science |
Bethel Town, Jamaica |
| Zach Tucker |
UT Tyler |
Sr. |
Chemistry & Biochemistry |
Perrin, Texas |
| Jared Cummins |
West Texas A&M |
So. |
Nursing |
Childress, Texas |
LSC Men’s Indoor Track and Field Academic Athlete of the Year: Marius Laib, Angelo State
WOMEN'S ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
| Player |
Team |
Yr. |
Major |
Hometown |
| Antonija Radic |
Angelo State |
Jr. |
Coaching, Sport, Rec. and Fitness |
San Angelo, Texas |
| Mia Van Oudsthoorn |
Angelo State |
Jr. |
Biochemistry |
Roodskool, Kroonstad, South Africa |
| Rylee Cristan |
DBU |
Jr. |
Education |
Keller, Texas |
| Emily Kent |
DBU |
So. |
Business Management |
Houston, Texas |
| Jenna Thorman |
DBU |
Sr. |
Psychology |
Plano, Texas |
| Minna Svaerd |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
Sr. |
Sport & Rec. Management |
Karlstad, Sweden |
| Kimberly Ortolon |
Texas A&M-Kingsville |
So. |
Mechanical Engineering |
Edna, Texas |
| Summer Grubbs |
UT Tyler |
Jr. |
Biology |
Gladewater, Texas |
| Natasha Carcano |
UT Tyler |
Sr. |
English |
Lufkin, Texas |
| Leah Belfield |
West Texas A&M |
So. |
Sport and exercise science |
Te Awamutu, New Zealand |
| Miriam Zanovello |
West Texas A&M |
Sr. |
Biochemistry |
Chivasso Italy |
LSC Women’s Indoor Track and Field Academic Athlete of the Year: Summer Grubbs, UT Tyler