Valparaiso University awarded 130 student-athletes with Presidential Academic Honors while also handing out the Laurel Award at the 25^th Annual Student-Athletes Academic Honors Banquet held on Sunday evening.

Presidential Academic Honors are awarded to student-athletes who have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher after at least two semesters at Valpo.

Scott Staal (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven), a member of the football team, was presented with the annual Laurel Award, honoring the graduating senior student-athlete who achieved the highest cumulative grade point average. Staal is on pace to graduate in May with a degree in business management.

Staal was joined by four individuals who earned the Finishing at the Top honor this year, given to graduating seniors with a cumulative grade point average of 3.9 or higher. Receiving the Finishing at the Top award were Jenny Fassbinder (Hudson, Wis./Hudson), a biology major from the women’s soccer team, Christopher Sosnowski (Greenfield, Ind./Central), a finance major from the men’s track and field team, Rita Craven (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way North), a biology major from the women’s soccer team, and Nolan Lodden (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley [Heartland C.C.]), an electrical engineering major from the baseball team.

The evening also featured a total of 12 individuals being honored as Outstanding Student-Athletes for carrying a cumulative grade point average of 3.9 or higher, regardless of their class in school.