Gustavus Adolphus College student-athlete Amanda Parker has been named the 2005 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women’s Gymnastics Scholar-Athlete, it was announced recently by WIAC Commissioner Gary Karner. The award is named after Judy Kruckman, who served as the conference commissioner from 1984-1996.
Parker, a senior from Ames, Iowa, is majoring in political science with a minor in Spanish and maintains a 3.987 grade point average. She is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American as well as a three-time selection to the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) All-Academic Team. Parker has been named to the Dean’s List every semester and is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society.
Parker, a team captain this season, earned all-WIAC honors after placing third in the uneven bars at the conference championship on March 18. She is a nine-time NCGA All-American, including a national champion in the all-around and vault during the 2002 season. Parker has been voted the team’s Most Valuable Gymnast the last three seasons and is the school’s record holder in the all-around, uneven bars and vault.
Parker is a member of Alpha Phi Omega and the Student-Athlete Board for Prospective Students. She has served as an ESL volunteer at a community school and has worked as a writing tutor and gymnastics instructor.
Also nominated for this year’s scholar-athlete award were: UW-La Crosse’s Jennifer Goettig, UW-Oshkosh’s Amanda DeJardin, UW-Stout’s Robyn Niederkorn and Hamline’s Melanie Axvig, Kimberly Nguyen and Jacqueline Wurst.
Gustavus became a member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in gymnastics for the first time this year. The Gusties are a member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 20 other sports, however, the MIAC does not sponsor women’s gymnastics.
The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is sponsored by Culver’s. In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.25 grade point average, be in their last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years.