COLORADO SPRINGS -- BYU senior Kellen Fowler and Air Force senior Abigail Rogers were announced today as the 2008-09 Mountain West Conference Male and Female Student-Athletes of the Year, respectively.
Established by the Mountain West Conference Joint Council in 1999, the Student-Athlete of the Year award is the highest honor presented to a student-athlete by the league. The award is bestowed annually to one male and one female who best exemplify the term "student-athlete" by achieving excellence in academics, athletics and community involvement. Criterion for the Student-Athlete of the Year award requires that nominees demonstrate leadership, character and conduct on and off the playing field. In addition to superior athletic achievement, candidates must have a minimum 3.5 grade point average. The winners each receive a $5,000 postgraduate scholarship, sponsored in part by ConocoPhillips.
"This is a tremendous honor for Kellen and BYU Athletics," said BYU Director of Athletics Tom Holmoe. "Kellen is a great example of what a student-athlete should be. He is the type of role model that kids should look up to; one that is well balanced yet strives to be as successful as he can in any endeavor he undertakes. He has been successful in the classroom and on the playing field, as well as a fantastic role model of service in our community. We are very happy for him and his family and wish him the best as he pursues his law degree at Virginia."
Fowler, a four-year letterwinner at safety on the Cougars' football team, graduated from BYU in December 2008 with an undergraduate degree in business management and a minor in English. He received a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and will begin attending law school at the University of Virginia in the fall. A four-time MWC Scholar-Athlete and three-time Academic all-MWC honoree, the Kaysville, Utah, native completed his bachelor's degree with a cumulative grade point average of 3.83, earning recognition as a BYU Student-Athlete Academic Center Scholar-Athlete each of his four years at the university.
On the field, Fowler closed out the 2008 campaign ranked third on the team with a total of 88 tackles. A member of the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society and 2009 NFF Hampshire Honor Society, Fowler was named a first-team Academic All-American in 2008 and was also a semifinalist for both the 2008 Draddy and Weurffel Trophies. Fowler was also an active member of the community, volunteering with local church youth group programs, elementary school drug-free programs and reading days, Primary Children's Hospital, Boy Scouts of America and Habitat for Humanity.
Fowler joins former BYU volleyball and track standout Lindsey Metcalf as Cougar student-athletes receiving the MWC's highest honor. Metcalf received the award following the 2004-05 season.
Rogers was honored as a Distinguished Graduate during commencement ceremonies this past May, posting a 3.76 grade point average at the Air Force Academy while earning an undergraduate degree in behavioral sciences. The Pittsburgh, Pa., product will continue her education at Wake Forest University this fall, enrolling in the Master's program in experimental psychology. A four-year letterwinner on the Falcons' gymnastics squad, Rogers capped off her collegiate career in 2008-09 with three conference titles, her second straight MPSF Gymnast of the Year award, fourth all-conference selection, and an invitation to the NCAA Regional Championships. She also received academic all-conference honors, a place on the USAG All-Academic Team and a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
During her career, Rogers collected three consecutive MWC Scholar-Athlete awards and was a two-time Academic All-District and All-American selection. She was named to the Dean's List all eight semesters at the Academy, receiving additional recognition as a member of the Superintendant's Honors List in five of those terms. In addition to holding several cadet leadership positions at the Academy, Rogers found time to take part in a variety of extracurricular activities, serving one year as a member of the Academy's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, while also volunteering with a local elementary after-school program and Habitat for Humanity.
Mountain West Conference Student-Athletes of the Year
Year Male Female
1999-00 Matthieu Amgwerd (tennis), New Mexico Katarina Malec (tennis), UNLV
2000-01 John Greer (football), UNLV Liz Toman (track), Colorado State
2001-02 Teren Jameson (cc/track), Utah Shannon Bowles (gymnastics), Utah
2002-03 John Dayton (swimming), Air Force Theresa Kulikowski (gymnastics), Utah
2003-04 Sean Murray (baseball), New Mexico Delavane Diaz (volleyball), Air Force
2004-05 Morgan Scalley (football), Utah Lindsey Metcalf (volleyball/track & field), BYU
2005-06 Matt Karmondy (swimming), Air Force Maja Kovacek (tennis), New Mexico
2006-07 Lars Loseth (skiing/soccer), New Mexico Blair Leake (swimming), Air Force
2007-08 Joe Brown (track and field), TCU April Thomas (cc/track & field), Colorado State
2008-09 Kellen Fowler (football), BYU Abigail Rogers (gymnastics), Air Force