April 8, 1999

COLUMBIA, MO -- Amy Monsees, a junior on Coach Cindy Stein's women's basketball team, was honored Thursday with the annual Director of Athletics Leadership Award. Director of Athletics Mike Alden made the presentation at Mizzou's 13th annual Scholar-Athlete Breakfast. Monsees holds a 3.88 grade-point average in communications and psychology. A native of Kansas City, she helped lead the Tigers last season to their first conference tournament victory since 1994, and will be a key member of next year's MU team.

Four Tigers were winners of the Total Person Program Academic Achievement Award -- Craig Koenig (swimming), Jamie Lowry (softball), Letitia Moses (golf) and John Woods (basketball). Now-graduated Tigers Charise Schrupp (gymnastics) and Mike Harp (wrestling) received the 1998 Big 12 Conference Scholar-Athlete Medals, presented to the senior student-athletes who best balance academics and athletics responsibilities. Head Swimming Coach Brian Hoffer was the winner of the Academic Enhancement Award for outstanding support to the academic success of his student-athletes. The 1997-98 women's swim team was honored by the Collegiate Swimming Coaches Association as an Academic All-America team.

The guest speaker at the breakfast was former MU softball star Kris Schmidt, who is now a special agent with the U.S. Secret Service.

Also saluted were the student-athletes who had the highest GPA on their respective teams for the 1997-98 school year:

Baseball ................ Matt Bremehr, business
M. Basketball ........... Brian Grawer, social studies education
W. Basketball ........... Amy Monsees, communication and psychology
M. Cross Country ........ Jeffrey Strong, human nutrition and foods
W. Cross Country ........ Sunny Gilbert, biochemistry
Football ................ Jake Stueve, biology
M. Golf ................. Andrew Espe, business
W. Golf ................. Tobi Probst, business
Gymnastics .............. Amanda Peterson, biological sciences
Soccer .................. Jennifer Kram, nursing
Softball ................ Stephanie Falk, Health Related Professions
M. Swimming ............. Randy Swift, secondary education
W. Swimming ............. Andrea Lemmink, secondary education
M. Track ................ Espen Strindeberg, business
W. Track ................ Lindsey Miller, accountancy
Volleyball .............. Jodi Maune, nursing
Wrestling ............... Bradley Lynde, secondary education