UW's Labrum, WSU's Dick named scholar-athletes of the year

GOLD RIVIER, Calif. - Washington’s Seamus Labrum and Washington State's Katie Dick were named the Pac-12 Men’s and Women's Rowing Scholar-Athletes of the Year, the Conference office announced on Sunday at the 2013 Pac-12 Rowing Championships in Gold River, Calif. The award, which is presented in each of the 22 sports the Conference sponsors, was established to honor collegiate student-athletes who are standouts both academically and in their sports discipline.

[Related video: Seamus Labrum reflects on his final year at Washington]

Labrum coxed the varsity four shell as a sophomore and junior, winning gold medals at the 2011 and 2012 Pac-12 Championships and at the 2011 and 2012 IRA National Championships. As a senior this season, he has guided the top-ranked Huskies varsity eight boat to an undefeated record. The Cape May, N.J., native, who was recently named to his third United States U-23 National Team, coxed the U.S. four at the U-23 World Championships in 2011 and 2012. Labrum, who is pursuing a double degree in journalism and political science, carries a 3.69 GPA and has spent six consecutive quarters on the Dean’s List. He was a first team Pac-12 All-Academic selection in 2012.

[Related video: Statisfaction: UW's Labrum talks Pac-12 title defense]

In order to be eligible for the Pac-12 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. Each Pac-12 institution may nominate one individual per sport, and the winners are selected by a committee of Pac-12 staff members at the conclusion of each sport’s regular season. The athletic accomplishments of the nominees are a consideration in the voting for the award. Other men's rowing nominees included Cameron Klotz of California, Alexander Smith of Colorado, Daniel Werner of Oregon State, Oivind Lorentzen of Stanford and Eric DeMaris of Washington State. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"658","attributes":{}}]] Katie Dick, a native of Victoria, British Columbia, has rowed in Washington State’s varsity eight boat since her sophomore year. This season, she has rowed from the second and sixth seats in the varsity eight shell that defeated No. 15 Wisconsin at the Lake Natoma Invitational on April 21 and also notched victories over Oregon State, Syracuse, San Diego and Gonzaga in various races. During the summer of 2009, she won a gold medal in the women’s four and a silver in the women’s eight for Britisch Columbia at the Canada Games.

[Related video: Katie Dick talks about her final season at WSU]

Dick, who majors in philosophy and carries a 3.98 GPA, is a three-time Pac-12 All-Academic selection and has twice garnered CoSIDA Acadamic All-District VIII consideration. She was a first team District VIII honoree in 2012 and a second team selection in 2011. She is a four-time WSU Athletics All-Academic team selection (2010-11, 13) and was named to the Washington State President’s Honor Roll in each of her first eight semesters on campus. Dick was a Cougar Academic Top-50 Scholar-Athlete in 2010, 2011 and 2012 and a Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association National Scholar-Athlete in 2010.

[Related video: Pac-12 rowing coaches discuss team preparation]

Other women's rowing nominees included Hilary Polis of Oregon State, Sarah Bolmer of Stanford, Tamar Schaap of UCLA and Melanie Grindle of USC. A Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be named in each of the Pac-12’s 22 sponsored sports: baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, football, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, men’s rowing, women’s rowing, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, softball, men’s swimming & diving, women’s swimming & diving, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s track & field, women’s track & field, women’s volleyball, and wrestling. The Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards were established during the 2007-08 academic year.