Oklahoma State University Athletics
OSU Student-Athletes Receive Postgraduate Scholarships
June 02, 2009 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
June 2, 2009
IRVING, Texas - Oklahoma State's Karin Kinnerud and Alejandro Ruiz were among 24 Big 12 student-athletes named recipients of the 2008-09 Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarship it was announced today by the league office.
A four-year starter for the Cowgirl golf team, Kinnerud was named an Academic All-Big 12 pick three times and was twice selected to the NGCA All-America Scholar Team. She was also named an academic all-district pick this past spring.
On the course, Kinnerud was named an all-conference selection as a sophomore and a junior. The Norrköping, Sweden native helped OSU to Big 12 titles each of the past two seasons as well as a fourth-place showing last month at the NCAA Championship.
A member of the OSU track and cross country squads, Ruiz was an NCAA regional qualifier in the 5,000 meters with a personal-best mark of 14:06.67. The Elgin, Texas native also earned All-Big 12 honors after finishing as the Big 12 runner-up in the 10,000 meters with a time of 30:38.59.
In the classroom, Ruiz was named to the Cross Country Academic All-Big 12 squad on three occasions and was tabbed as a track and field academic all-league pick four times.
The scholarships are named in honor of the late Dr. Prentice Gautt, a former Big 12 Conference staff member and student services' pioneer who passed away in March 2005. The list of all-time recipients has grown to 225 since the inception of the league in 1996-97. Starting in 2002-03, additional funding increased scholarship award winners to two per member institution.
To date the Big 12 has provided $1,385,600 for postgraduate education. The individual grants began at $2,500 in 1996-97, were raised to $5,000 in 1999, increased to $6,900 for 2004-05 and climbed to $7,500 in 2006-07.
Criteria for the awards includes a cumulative grade point average of 3.500 on a 4.000 scale, participation in at least two years of intercollegiate athletics at the nominee's respective institution and completion of athletics' eligibility. The student-athletes also must graduate from their respective member institutions within 15 months of their selection for a postgraduate scholarship and are expected to enroll in graduate/professional schools within two years of graduation. Three faculty representatives, one senior woman administrator and one director of athletics form the selection panel for the awards.
