PAC-12 SCHOLAR-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

SAN FRANCISCO - COLORADO’s Eliza Cahill has been named the 2021 Pac-12 Lacrosse Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the Conference announced today. The award, which is presented in each of the 24 sports sponsored by the Pac-12, was established to honor collegiate student-athletes that are standouts both academically and in their respective sports disciplines. 

Cahill, a senior defender from The Woodlands, Texas with a 3.92 cumulative grade-point average, is majoring in finance and minoring in political science. A pivotal player on the Buffaloes’ defensive front, she was named to the Pac-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll in 2020, Pac-12 All-Academic First Team in 2019 and is a member of the Dean’s List at CU. 

Cahill is also one of just four Colorado student-athletes to have received the Byron R. White Leadership and Initiative Award, given annually to student-athletes who have exhibited outstanding initiative and demonstrate a strong commitment to service in the CU and Boulder communities. 

A three-year starter who has twice been voted Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week, Cahill has appeared in 34 career games and started 30. She has 73 career draw controls, 59 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers. She has started each of Colorado's 13 games this season and is averaging 2.0 ground balls and 1.9 draw controls. The Buffs finished third in the Pac-12 during the regular season and face second-seeded USC in tonight's Pac-12 Tournament at 7:30 p.m. PT. 

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 percent of the scheduled contests in the sport and have a minimum 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 athletics accomplishments of the nominees are a consideration in voting for the award.

A Scholar-Athlete of the Year is named in each of the Pac-12’s 24 sponsored sports: baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, beach volleyball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, football, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, women’s lacrosse, 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 award was first established during the 2008-09 academic year.

ALSO NOMINATED: Berkeley Bonneau, Arizona State; Nikki Zaccaro, California; Rachel Williams, Oregon; Mikaela Watson, Stanford; Emily Stallings, USC.