April 24, 2008
Senior Steve Neuwert has been named the Pacific-10 Conference Men's Swimming Scholar-Athlete of the Year, presented by Toyo Tires®. Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards have been established to honor collegiate student-athletes that are standouts both academically and in their sports discipline.
"Toyo is proud to support the Pac-10 and to acknowledge outstanding student-athletes for their efforts," said Steve Hutchinson, senior director of marketing, Toyo Tire (U.S.A.) Corporation. "By supporting today's achievers, we feel we are helping to grow tomorrow's leaders."
In order to be eligible for the Pac-10 Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, student-athletes must be a senior (in athletics eligibility) on track to receive a degree, have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, participate in at least 50% of the scheduled contests in the sport and have a minimum of one year in residence at the institution.
Neuwert was a crucial part of the Sun Devils fourth place Pac-10 finish this season. One of the team's co-captains, Neuwert clocked in the team's fastest 50 and 100 freestyle times of the season and placed eighth at the Pac-10 Championships in the 50 freestyle. Neuwert was also a member of the 200 free, 400 free, 200 medley and 400 medley relay teams for the Sun Devils. In the ASU record books, Neuwert holds the university's sixth-fastest 50 freestyle time with a time of 19.81 and eighth-fastest 100 freestyle time at 43.82. Additionally, Neuwert helped set ASU's second-fastest 400 medley relay time this season at 3:14.07. Academically, Neuwert holds a 3.87 grade point average in interdisciplinary studies and earned First-Team Pac-10 All-Academic accolades this past season.
The Scholar-Athletes of the Year in each sport will receive a commemorative award. Toyo® will donate $1,000 to the scholarship funds of the institution's athletic department of each winner in recognition of their accomplishments.
"The Pac-10 joins Toyo in recognizing these student-athletes during the 2007-08 academic year," said Tom Hansen, Commissioner of the Pac-10. "To be selected as the best student-athlete in any sport in the Pac-10 is a very special honor, and these are special young people, in academics as well as athletics. We are very appreciative that Toyo is helping them gain the recognition they deserve for their unique achievements."
The Pac-10 Scholar-Athletes for winter, include:
Robbie Cowgill, Washington State - Men's Basketball, 3.36 - management and operations
Tanner Gardner, Stanford - Wrestling, 3.73/4.00 grad - public policy (undergraduate)/social work (graduate)
Steve Neuwert, Arizona State - Men's Swimming, 3.87 - interdisciplinary studies
Lacey Nymeyer, Arizona - Women's Swimming, 3.85 - physical education
Lindsey Pluimer, UCLA - Women's Basketball, 3.71 - communications studies
Karin Wurm, Arizona - Gymnastics, 3.81 - marketing
Other nominees included:
Men's Basketball: Brett Brielmaier, ARIZ; Taj Finger, STAN. Women's Basketball: Jill Noe, ASU; Kaela Chapdelaine, ORE; Allison Jaskowiak, USC; Emily Florence, WASH. Gymnastics: Nicki Wells, CAL; Yuki Lamb, OSU; Tabitha Yim, STAN; Tasha Schwikert, UCLA; Ramey Iselin, WASH. Men's Swimming: Jernej Godec, CAL; Egan Gans, STAN; Vanni Mangoni, USC; Bret Lungaard, WASH. Women's Swimming: Caitlin Andrew, ASU; Kelly Stravers, CAL; Felicia Casteneda, OSU; Brooke Bishop, STAN; Nicolette Teo, UCLA; Emily Goetsch, USC; Maggie Bever, WASH. Wrestling: Jason Trulson, ASU; Garth Wara, CSUB; Joey Lucas, ORE.
To learn more about Toyo and its broad line of tires, log on to toyo.com.