Kansas' Kara Boston and Jeff Foster Among Big 12 Student-Athletes Honored with 2007-08 Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarships

June 30, 2008

Kansas rower Kara Boston and football player Jeff Foster were among the 24 Big 12 student-athletes were selected to receive 2007-08 Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarships, the conference office announced.

The scholarships are named in honor of the late Dr. Prentice Gautt, a former Big 12 Conference staff member and student services’ pioneer who passed away in March 2005. The list of all-time recipients has grown to 201 since the inception of the league in 1996-97. Starting in 2002-03, additional funding increased scholarship award winners to two per member institution.

To date the Big 12 has provided $1,205, 600 for postgraduate education. The individual grants began at $2,500 in 1996-97, were raised to $5,000 in 1999, increased to $6,900 for 2004-05 and climbed to $7,500 in 2006-07.

A rowing team co-captain in 2008, Boston was a four-year member of the Dean’s Honor Roll while at Kansas. One of KU’s top performers in First Varsity Eight each of the last three seasons, Boston, from Shabbona, Ill., was an eight-time Athletic Director’s and Big 12 Commissioner’s honor roll member, including a 4.0 grade point average in Spring 2007. Boston graduated from KU with a degree in community health and preoccupational therapy.

Foster was a three time member of the Academic All-Big 12 First Team in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Originally a walk-on wide receiver from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Foster was an eight-time member of the Athletic Director’s and Big 12 Commissioner’s honor roll as he earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from KU.

Criteria for the awards includes a cumulative grade point average of 3.500 on a 4.000 scale, participation in at least two years of intercollegiate athletics at the nominee’s respective institution and completion of athletics’ eligibility. The student-athletes also must graduate from their respective member institutions within 15 months of their selection for a postgraduate scholarship and are expected to enroll in graduate/professional schools within two years of graduation. Three faculty representatives, one senior woman administrator and one director of athletics form the selection panel for the awards.

2007-08 Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarship RecipientsName (School) – SportKristen Schramek (Baylor) – VolleyballTim Jackson (Baylor) – BaseballLucie Zikova (Colorado) – SkiingByron Ellis (Colorado) – FootballChristine Derouin (Iowa State) – TennisBryce Braaksma (Iowa State) – FootballKara Boston (KANSAS) – ROWINGJeff Foster (KANSAS) – FOOTBALLCarolyn McCullough (Kansas State) – BasketballBradley Hutt (Kansas State) – BaseballElizabeth Robe (Missouri) – Track & FieldTyler McCormick (Missouri) – WrestlingKim Shubert (Nebraska) – Track & FieldStephen Tatrault (Nebraska) – GymnasticsChristina Baxley (Oklahoma) – TennisJosh Weitzel (Oklahoma) – WrestlingBrittany Myers (Oklahoma State) – EquestrianBrian Ehlis (Oklahoma State) – Track & FieldDanielle Bartz (Texas) – RowingHubert Chodkiewicz (Texas) – TennisJessica Wingfield (Texas A&M) – Track & FieldTerry Dike (Texas A&M) – Track & FieldSarah Losleben (Texas Tech) – SoftballDimitrio Martinez (Texas Tech) – Tennis