Originally Posted: April 23, 2018
DALLAS (SMU) – SMU bestowed 35 academic honors on 24 student-athletes representing 11 varsity sports programs. The women’s swimming and diving team and equestrian team led all programs with five honorees.
Eki Olumese, a senior on the rowing team, garnered six honors including Rhodes Scholar finalist. One of three members of the rowing program recognized, Olumese is a Gates Cambridge Scholar finalist, a Hamilton Undergraduate Research Scholar, the Robert and Nancy Dedman Outstanding Senior Student, an Outstanding Senior Student in Health and Society and a Phi Beta Kappa Academic Honor Society inductee.
Rowing junior captain Emily Fogg was named a recipient of the Robert Stewart Hyer Society’s 2018 University Achievement Award, and volleyball standout Montana Watts was inducted into the society. The Hyer Society is SMU’s most prestigious undergraduate honor society. Named for the founding President of SMU, the Hyer Society was established in 1983 to recognize SMU’s most intellectually gifted undergraduates who have distinguished themselves through high academic achievement. Maddy Rueda also represented the rowing team, earning the Sport Management Departmental Distinction Award.
Kyra Kondis led the way for the women’s swimming and diving program. The senior was honored for her creative writing, winning the David R. Russell Memorial Poetry Award, winning ahead of equestrian rider Nadja Tiktinsky, who finished runner up. Kondis also earned the Frances Mossiker Prize for Prose, the Margaret Terry Crooks Award for Outstanding Student in Creative Writing, and the Ben Thomas Excellence in Tutoring Award.
Keegan Pho is an Eta Kappa Nu and Tau Beta Pi member, earning induction into the technical and engineering honor societies. Former student-athletes Ursa Bezan and Madeline Wainman earned Applied Physiology and Health Management Departmental Honors. Kelcie Winters earned induction into Beta Gamma Sigma, the international business honor society, rounding out the women’s swimming and diving program’s honors.
Women’s soccer player Vanessa Valadez earned the Sport Performance Leadership Departmental Distinction Award, and Lauren Harrington is in the University Honors Program. Men’s soccer goalie Grant Makela joined Pho in Eta Kappa Nu. Colten Habecker earned the Outstanding BBA Senior Award, and Dakota Okwuone is a Hamilton Undergraduate Research Scholar.
Running back Kane Norman, wide receiver J.R. Griffin, women’s tennis player Vivienne Kulicke and equestrian rider Sophia Koolwick were inducted into Tau Sigma, an honor society for transfer students. Long snapper Michael Sehlinger was also inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.
Keagan Snively was honored for Outstanding Achievement in Broadcast Journalism. Madison Johnson was awarded the Dr. Laura J. Steinberg, Distinguished First-Year Civil and Environmental, and Ali Fuller is in the University Honors Program, as the equestrian team matched the swimming and diving program with five honorees.
Distance runner Robin Montemayor is a Bromberg Junior Scholar and earned the Isaac Gustave Bromberg Award for Latin, representing the cross country and track and field teams. Men’s basketball equipment manager Rakan Musmar was honored with the Sport Performance Leadership Departmental Distinction Award. READ MORE