CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -Austin Peay State University senior Carrie Burggraf, the six-time time Ohio Valley Conference pole vault champion who has enjoyed a superb career both on and off the field, has been awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
The NCAA awards up to 174 postgraduate scholarships annually, 87 for men and 87 for women. The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition.
She is Austin Peay's first NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipient since former soccer player Adonia Bivins received such in 2007.
The one-time grants of $7,500 each are awarded for fall sports, winter sports and spring sports. Each sports season (fall, winter and spring), 29 scholarships are available for men and 29 scholarships available for women-Burggraf received one of the winter sport awards. The scholarships are one-time, non-renewable grants.
"I don't know what to say, I am so excited," Burggraf said. "I am so blessed to have such a great support system. Everyone who wrote letters for me I am so thankful.
"It was right after Spring Break (when applications were due) and everyone who wrote letters and helped me with this: Coach (Cheryl) Holt (assistant athletics director), Dr. (Bruce) Myers (APSU Faculty Athletic Representative), Ashley (White, interim APSU academics coordinator), Coach (Doug) Molnar (APSU Track coach) and Dr. (David) Kanervo (chairman of APSU's Department of Political Science). These people have written so many letters for me throughout the year, I am just so grateful for them for not only putting in the time to do the letters but personalizing those letters as well."
Burggraf, who is a political science major with minors in history and English writing, is planning on her postgraduate education next year at the University of Pittsburgh, where she will focus on global international studies, with a concentration in human security (human rights).
Just last week at the APSU Athletics Award Banquet, Burggraf was honored with the Female Legends Award as Austin Peay's Most Valuable Senior Athlete. Also that night she was one of four athletes to receive the APSU Scholar-Athlete Award and the Perkins Freeman Governors Club Academic Achievement Award for owning the highest GPA (4.0) for a graduating senior.
Last year, the Marion, Ohio native became the first Lady Govs junior athlete to ever to receive the prestigious OVC Scholar-Athlete Award, given annually to three male and three female student-athletes of junior or senior status for their accomplishments in both the classroom and athletic arena, and because of their leadership qualities.
She also became the first junior to ever receive the Steve Hamilton Sportsmanship Award-the annual award is based upon significant athletics performance along with good sportsmanship and citizenship.
But Burggraf is equally productive as a track performer--she also was voted Austin Peay's Most Outstanding Female Athlete a year ago. In February she captured her fifth OVC pole vault championship and in the process was named OVC Female Indoor Field Athlete of the Year.
Despite battling an early season injury, she has continued to excel in the outdoor season. Just last weekend, Burggraf posted a 13-05 pole vault in the OVC outdoor championships, shattering her own OVC championship record in claiming her sixth championship. It is currently ranked 10th best in the NCAA East Region-the Top 48 vaults from the east earn qualification for respective regionals. If she does qualify it would be the third straight year for her to advance to regional competition.
Burggraf holds the OVC Indoor and Outdoor Track Championship records in addition to her Austin Peay outdoor marks. She has been ranked in the Top 50 in the NCAA Division I pole vault in each of the last three years. In fact, she was the first OVC pole vaulter to clear 13 feet.
"Earning the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship is the highlight of Carrie's stellar career as an Austin Peay student-athlete," Holt said. "Carrie is an amazing individual whose academic and athletic success are unprecedented in the our athletic program history. I am extremely proud of her and her accomplishments and applaud her for commitment to excellence."
Burggraf discovered she had won the Postgraduate Scholarship last Friday during the OVC Outdoor Track Championships. "It was two hours before my (pole vault) event so I checked the NCAA website award," she said. "It just started off my day great and I was on a high and it just kept going.
"I am so grateful for everything that I have received at Austin Peay. The (University) has put me out there and taken the time to nominate me for so many different awards. This award, the Legends Award and the (Steve) Hamilton Award are the three awards I am really the most proud. "
"We are thrilled for Carrie," Molnar said "This is a culmination of the long line of awards Carrie has garnered. She is an outstanding student and an outstanding athlete who has proven that hard work does pay off. We couldn't be more proud of her accomplishments."
The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship was created in 1964 to promote and encourage postgraduate education by rewarding the Association's most accomplished student-athletes through their participation in NCAA championship and/or emerging sports. Athletics and academic achievements, as well as campus involvement, community service, volunteer activities and demonstrated leadership, are evaluated.
An equitable approach is employed in reviewing each applicant's nomination form to provide opportunity to all student-athlete nominees to receive the postgraduate award, regardless of sport, division, gender or race. In maintaining the highest broad-based standards in the selection process, the program aims to reward those individuals whose dedication and effort are reflective of those characteristics necessary to succeed and thrive through postgraduate study in an accredited graduate degree program.
-AP-
