Trio Named Big 12 Scholar-Athletes of the Year
April 12, 2018 03:03 PM | General, Men's Basketball, Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Seniors Jevon Carter of the West Virginia University men's basketball team, Amelie Currat of the women's swimming and diving team and James Koval of the men's swimming and diving team have been named the 2018 Big 12 Scholar-Athletes of the Year in their respective sports, the conference announced on Thursday.
Big 12 Release
Carter, the CoSIDA Men's Basketball Academic All-American of the Year and Senior CLASS Award recipient, has maintained a 3.51 grade-point average while majoring in sport management. The Maywood, Illinois, native joins Nathan Adrian (2017) as WVU recipients of the Big 12 Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.
"He is as good of a guy as anyone could ever ask for," WVU men's basketball coach Bob Huggins said of Carter. "He's the hardest worker that I ever coached. He's a great student and a great, great teammate. I think if you sat down and thought about what you wanted in a student-athlete, you can say just watch Jevon because he fits the total description."
Carter led the nation in steals with 112 – a WVU single-season best – this past winter. He was the only player in the country to average 17 points, six assists and three steals per game in 2017-18.
The 6-foot-2 guard is West Virginia's all-time leader in steals with 330. He also sits second in program history in assists (559), third in games played (144) and eighth in scoring (1,758).
This past year, Carter, who became a two-time NABC Defensive Player of the Year and won the inaugural Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award this past month, became just the fifth Division I player to have more than 1,500 points, 500 rebounds, 500 assists and 300 steals in a career.
A native of Dunkerque, France, Currat becomes the first swimming and diving student-athlete to earn the Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor multiple times. The finance major, who holds a 3.97 GPA, also received the honor in 2017. In all, the Mountaineer women's team has won the honor three times since joining the league in 2012-13.
Currat won silver medals in the 100 and 200 backstroke at the Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championship, in Austin, Texas, from Feb. 21-24. She also was a part of four silver-medal-winning relay teams at the conference meet: 200 free relay, 400 free relay, 400 medley relay and 800 free relay.
The All-Big 12 First Team performer set the school record in the 100 backstroke during the 400 medley relay at the conference meet, earning a time of 53.50. She also helped the 200 freestyle (1:31.53) and 400 medley (3:37.43) relays to all-time best marks.
Koval, a Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, native boasts a 3.80 GPA as a chemical engineering major. He is a three-time member of the Academic All-Big 12 First Team and received the Big 12's Dr. Gerald Lage Academic award in 2017. Koval joins Nathan Howells (2016), David Palley (2015) and Liam McLaughlin (2013) as recipients of the Big 12 Men's Swimming Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
"Congratulations to Amelie and James on this prestigious accolade," WVU swimming and diving coach Vic Riggs said. "It's an honor to have them recognized for their academic success. They've continued a six-year tradition for our program in receiving this award, which is something we're very proud of."
The long-distance specialist finished fourth in the 1,650 freestyle at the 2018 Big 12 Championship, earning a time of 15:38.35. He also holds the program's third-best times in the 1,000 freestyle (9:22.05) and 1,650 freestyle (15:27.34).
Koval has been named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll and the Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll during his collegiate career.
The Big 12 Conference established its Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award in 2012-13. A recipient is named in each conference-sponsored sport. Every Big 12 institution nominates one individual per sport with the winners selected by a vote of the league head coaches for that sport, who are not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes.
Scholar-Athlete of the Year nominees must be a junior or senior (athletic and academic standing), have a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher, participate in at least 20 percent of the team's scheduled contests and have a minimum of one year in residence at the institution.
Big 12 Release
Carter, the CoSIDA Men's Basketball Academic All-American of the Year and Senior CLASS Award recipient, has maintained a 3.51 grade-point average while majoring in sport management. The Maywood, Illinois, native joins Nathan Adrian (2017) as WVU recipients of the Big 12 Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.
"He is as good of a guy as anyone could ever ask for," WVU men's basketball coach Bob Huggins said of Carter. "He's the hardest worker that I ever coached. He's a great student and a great, great teammate. I think if you sat down and thought about what you wanted in a student-athlete, you can say just watch Jevon because he fits the total description."
Carter led the nation in steals with 112 – a WVU single-season best – this past winter. He was the only player in the country to average 17 points, six assists and three steals per game in 2017-18.
The 6-foot-2 guard is West Virginia's all-time leader in steals with 330. He also sits second in program history in assists (559), third in games played (144) and eighth in scoring (1,758).
This past year, Carter, who became a two-time NABC Defensive Player of the Year and won the inaugural Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award this past month, became just the fifth Division I player to have more than 1,500 points, 500 rebounds, 500 assists and 300 steals in a career.
A native of Dunkerque, France, Currat becomes the first swimming and diving student-athlete to earn the Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor multiple times. The finance major, who holds a 3.97 GPA, also received the honor in 2017. In all, the Mountaineer women's team has won the honor three times since joining the league in 2012-13.
Currat won silver medals in the 100 and 200 backstroke at the Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championship, in Austin, Texas, from Feb. 21-24. She also was a part of four silver-medal-winning relay teams at the conference meet: 200 free relay, 400 free relay, 400 medley relay and 800 free relay.
The All-Big 12 First Team performer set the school record in the 100 backstroke during the 400 medley relay at the conference meet, earning a time of 53.50. She also helped the 200 freestyle (1:31.53) and 400 medley (3:37.43) relays to all-time best marks.
Koval, a Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, native boasts a 3.80 GPA as a chemical engineering major. He is a three-time member of the Academic All-Big 12 First Team and received the Big 12's Dr. Gerald Lage Academic award in 2017. Koval joins Nathan Howells (2016), David Palley (2015) and Liam McLaughlin (2013) as recipients of the Big 12 Men's Swimming Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
"Congratulations to Amelie and James on this prestigious accolade," WVU swimming and diving coach Vic Riggs said. "It's an honor to have them recognized for their academic success. They've continued a six-year tradition for our program in receiving this award, which is something we're very proud of."
The long-distance specialist finished fourth in the 1,650 freestyle at the 2018 Big 12 Championship, earning a time of 15:38.35. He also holds the program's third-best times in the 1,000 freestyle (9:22.05) and 1,650 freestyle (15:27.34).
Koval has been named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll and the Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll during his collegiate career.
The Big 12 Conference established its Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award in 2012-13. A recipient is named in each conference-sponsored sport. Every Big 12 institution nominates one individual per sport with the winners selected by a vote of the league head coaches for that sport, who are not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes.
Scholar-Athlete of the Year nominees must be a junior or senior (athletic and academic standing), have a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher, participate in at least 20 percent of the team's scheduled contests and have a minimum of one year in residence at the institution.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
Back/Free
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Fly/Free
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
Free/IM
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