Scherer, Schneider Awarded Gautt Postgraduate Scholarships
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas’ Elizabeth Scherer (Rowing) and Kellum Schneider (Track and Field) were among 20 Big 12 student-athletes selected to receive Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgradute Scholarships, the conference office announced Tuesday.
The scholarships are named in honor of the late Dr. Prentice Gautt, a former Lawrence resident, Big 12 Conference staff member, and student services’ pioneer who passed away in 2005. The list of all-time recipients has grown to 323 since the inception of the league in 1996-97. Starting in 2002-03, additional funding increased the number of scholarship award winners to two per member institution.
Criteria for the awards includes a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 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.
Scherer, a Wamego, Kansas, native, was a significant contributor and a team leader from the First Varsity Eight boat throughout the 2013-14 season, capping her season with the team’s coveted Oarswoman of the Year award. Her 1V8 boat earned eight top-five finishes in as many races, including a victory over Drake at the Sunflower Showdown in Kansas City, Kan. The First Varsity Eight finished third at the Big 12 Championship, while concluding their season with a fifth-place finish at the C-USA Championship.
In the classroom, Scherer has been equally valuable as she is a four-time member of the Big 12 and C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll. She has earned an outstanding four-consecutive C-USA Academic Medals, is a four-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team member and is a recipient of the Dr. Gerald Lage Award, the Big 12 Conference’s highest academic honor. Last season, Scherer earned the inaugural Big 12 Rowing Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.
“I’m really pleased for her,” Kansas rowing coach Rob Catloth said of Scherer. “I think she is the fourth rower to earn the Dr. Prentice Gautt (Postgraduate) Scholarship. This will certainly help her with physical therapy school. She’s always been very strong academically and did a great job for our team. We’re excited to see her begin the next stage of school and into her career.”
As a senior member of the men’s track and field team, Schneider is a seven time Athletics Director Honor Roll member from Tribune, Kansas. He carries a perfect 4.0 grade point average while studying genetics and this season alone, he recorded personal bests on four different occasions and has maintained his status as one of Kansas track & field’s most consistent performers.
Schneider comes from a gifted family, both academically and athletically. Both his brother, Kaman, and sister, Kennedy, competed for the KU track team, with Kaman earning a Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarship last May. Kellum plans to pursue a future in the medical field.
“This is a great honor for Kellum and shows what kind of dedication he has,” Kansas track and field coach Stanley Redwine said. “He always took care of business on the track and in the classroom. He has a very promising future in the medical field and this scholarship will be a great aid in getting him there.”
Gautt, like all 323 total recipients of the scholarship award, benefited from generous benefactors to pursue his education. Gautt was the first black football player at the University of Oklahoma, achieving All-Big Eight status twice before being named the most valuable player of the 1959 Orange Bowl. Gautt played professionally in the NFL for seven years before returning to collegiate athletics as a coach and administrator.
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