Oklahoma State University Athletics
Photo by: OSU Athletics
Schoppe, Auerbach headline OSU Athletics academic awards banquet winners
April 21, 2025 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track, Cowgirl Cross Country & Track
STILLWATER – Ryan Schoppe and Sivan Auerbach were honored as the male and female scholar-athletes of the year to headline tonight's Oklahoma State Athletics academic awards banquet. Both compete in track and cross country.
As the highest honor presented by the OSU Athletic Department to student-athletes, this award reflects exemplary performance in academic endeavors, athletic activities, and a commitment to community engagement. The award recognizes exceptional character of the student-athlete, leadership and a dedication to academic performance.
Schoppe is the fourth Cowboy track and field student-athlete in the last seven years to earn the award, joining Cole Verble (2019), Joshua Anadu (2021) and Alex Maier (2024). In addition to this honor, he was also the NCAA Elite 90 Award winner for indoor track and field in 2022. Auerbach, a two-time recipient of the NCAA's Elite 90 academic award, is the third Cowgirl track and field student-athlete in the last eight years to earn OSU female scholar-athlete of the year distinction, joining Stephanie Ferrante (2018) and Ariane Ballner (2021).
Stailee Heard (women's basketball) and Jaleel Johnson (football) secured the Nate Fleming Academic Effort and Improvement Award and 16 student-athletes across 15 sports were honored as Director's Chair winners for maintaining balance in academics while making a difference in their sports.
Across all of OSU's sports, approximately 130 student-athletes are expected to graduate during the 2024-25 academic year, with two earning Senior of Significance accolades from the OSU Alumni Association - Maddie Meiner and Colleen Stegmann (both from women's track and field). Additionally, Meiner was honored as one of 25 Outstanding Seniors on the OSU campus by the OSU Alumni Association.
Final grades for the spring semester are yet to be determined, but the fall of 2024 marked the 20th consecutive semester that the cumulative grade point average of OSU's student-athletes across all sports exceeded 3.0.
Top honors at the 2025 OSU Athletics Academic Awards Banquet
Scholar-Athletes of the Year: Ryan Schoppe (men's cross country/track and field) and Sivan Auerbach (women's cross country/track and field)
Nate Fleming Academic Effort and Improvement Award: Stailee Heard (women's basketball) and Jaleel Johnson (football)
Director's Chair winners: Ian Daugherty (baseball), Kirk Cole (men's basketball), Anna Gret Asi (women's basketball), Ashlyn Calhoun (cheer), Riley Hogan (equestrian), Aden Kelley (football), Clemence Martin (women's golf), Maggie Middlebrook (pom), Xcaret Pineda (soccer), Sophie Page (softball), Francisco Pini (men's tennis), Amber Hochstatter (women's tennis), Ryan Schoppe (men's cross country/track and field ), Sivan Auerbach and Maddie Meiner (women's cross country/track and field), Zach Blankenship (wrestling).
OSU Seniors of Significance (of 51 throughout all of campus): Maddie Meiner (women's cross country/track and field), Colleen Stegmann (women's cross country/track and field)
OSU Outstanding Senior (of 25 throughout all of campus): Maddie Meiner (women's cross country/track and field)
As the highest honor presented by the OSU Athletic Department to student-athletes, this award reflects exemplary performance in academic endeavors, athletic activities, and a commitment to community engagement. The award recognizes exceptional character of the student-athlete, leadership and a dedication to academic performance.
Schoppe is the fourth Cowboy track and field student-athlete in the last seven years to earn the award, joining Cole Verble (2019), Joshua Anadu (2021) and Alex Maier (2024). In addition to this honor, he was also the NCAA Elite 90 Award winner for indoor track and field in 2022. Auerbach, a two-time recipient of the NCAA's Elite 90 academic award, is the third Cowgirl track and field student-athlete in the last eight years to earn OSU female scholar-athlete of the year distinction, joining Stephanie Ferrante (2018) and Ariane Ballner (2021).
Stailee Heard (women's basketball) and Jaleel Johnson (football) secured the Nate Fleming Academic Effort and Improvement Award and 16 student-athletes across 15 sports were honored as Director's Chair winners for maintaining balance in academics while making a difference in their sports.
Across all of OSU's sports, approximately 130 student-athletes are expected to graduate during the 2024-25 academic year, with two earning Senior of Significance accolades from the OSU Alumni Association - Maddie Meiner and Colleen Stegmann (both from women's track and field). Additionally, Meiner was honored as one of 25 Outstanding Seniors on the OSU campus by the OSU Alumni Association.
Final grades for the spring semester are yet to be determined, but the fall of 2024 marked the 20th consecutive semester that the cumulative grade point average of OSU's student-athletes across all sports exceeded 3.0.
Top honors at the 2025 OSU Athletics Academic Awards Banquet
Scholar-Athletes of the Year: Ryan Schoppe (men's cross country/track and field) and Sivan Auerbach (women's cross country/track and field)
Nate Fleming Academic Effort and Improvement Award: Stailee Heard (women's basketball) and Jaleel Johnson (football)
Director's Chair winners: Ian Daugherty (baseball), Kirk Cole (men's basketball), Anna Gret Asi (women's basketball), Ashlyn Calhoun (cheer), Riley Hogan (equestrian), Aden Kelley (football), Clemence Martin (women's golf), Maggie Middlebrook (pom), Xcaret Pineda (soccer), Sophie Page (softball), Francisco Pini (men's tennis), Amber Hochstatter (women's tennis), Ryan Schoppe (men's cross country/track and field ), Sivan Auerbach and Maddie Meiner (women's cross country/track and field), Zach Blankenship (wrestling).
OSU Seniors of Significance (of 51 throughout all of campus): Maddie Meiner (women's cross country/track and field), Colleen Stegmann (women's cross country/track and field)
OSU Outstanding Senior (of 25 throughout all of campus): Maddie Meiner (women's cross country/track and field)
Players Mentioned
Distance
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Distance
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Multi-Events
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Distance
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