OU Scholar-Athletes Honored More than 300 student-athletes were in attendance at annual awards breakfast.

Track & field's Amy Backel NORMAN, Okla. -- Women's track and field athlete Amy Backel and wrestler Kyle Terry, both seniors, received the Conference Medal Award Tuesday morning at the 12th Annual Max Weitzenhoffer Scholar-Athlete Breakfast. The event was held in the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom in the Oklahoma Memorial Union. More than 300 student-athletes were in attendance and OU President David L. Boren gave the keynote address. The Conference Medal Award is awarded to a senior student-athlete of each gender who has the most outstanding record of athletics and scholarship. Women's volleyball player Francie Ekwerekwu received four awards while football player Gerald McCoy nabbed three. Ekwerekwu was cited as one of eight recipients of the Dan Gibbens Outstanding Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards, was one of four recipients of the Athletics Director's Leadership Award, was one of two recipients of the Prentice Gautt Award, which was established by OU's Black Student Association, and was one of eight recipients of the Athletics Council's Service Award. McCoy also picked up the Athletics Director's Leadership Award, the Athletics Council Service Award and the Gautt Award. Other Athletics Director's Leadership Awards went to Elliott Blair (baseball) and Jackie Flannery (women's gymnastics). The other Gibbens Scholar-Athlete Awards were presented to Sam Bradford (football), Ana-Maria Constantinescu (women's tennis), Danielle Robinson (women's basketball), Rob Sorrell (men's track and field), Andrea Sellmeyer (women's golf), Chris Wilson (men's golf) and Kelsey Witten (rowing). Other Service Award recipients were Backel, Blair, Cade Davis (men's basketball), Corey English (men's gymnastics), Ellen Mueller (women's golf) and Kristin Smith (women's gymnastics). The Athletics Council Achievement Award, which is presented to student-athletes who overcome major obstacles to their academic and athletics careers went to Amber Flores (softball), Gary Jeffries (track and field), Ryan Reynolds (football), Amanda Thompson (women's basketball) and Hollie Vise (women's gymnastics).

The Women's Gymnastics Team won the CHAMPS/Life Skills competition in the department. That award is rooted deeply in community service as well as campus and academic activities. Sonny Golloway was named the Athletics Council's Student Life Award for Coaches recipient. The Jay Myers Award for freshmen student-athletes who best combine academic and athletic pursuits were presented to Jacy Bennett (women's track and field), Gabe Ikard (football), Joanna McFarland (women's basketball), Alex Munterfering (track and field), Katharine Nutman (women's soccer), Brittany Parks (women's tennis), Ryan Proctor (men's tennis), Nitya Ramaswami (women's gymnastics), Ryan Randolph (men's basketball) and Olivia Staff (rowing/soccer). The Sooner Schooner Scholastic Award for a football letterwinner went to Auston English and the Scholar-Baller Academic Momentum Award was presented to Adron Tennell (football). Five faculty members were honored with the Most Inspiring Faculty Award. Those five were Dr. LeRoy Blank, Dr. Hillel Kumin, Dr. Janna Martin, Dr. Bruce Mason and Dr. Paul Sims.