STATE COLLEGE, Pa., May 5, 2003 - A pair of Penn State standout student-athletes, Jose Palacios and Martin Schierhorn, have been awarded a prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
Palacios, a member of the men's gymnastics team, and Schierhorn, a member of the men's swimming and diving team, join Nittany Lion football player Joe Iorio as NCAA Postgraduate honorees this year. They are the 36th and 37th Penn State student-athletes to receive the NCAA scholarship.
The three NCAA honorees this year are the most for Penn State since it had four student-athletes who received NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships in 1995.
Palacios and Schierhorn will receive a $6,900 grant for postgraduate study at the university of professional school of their choice.
The NCAA awarded 58 postgraduate scholarships of $6,900 each to 29 men and 29 women who participated in winter sports. To qualify for an NCAA postgraduate scholarship, a student-athlete must have an overall grade-point average of 3.200 (on a 4.000 scale) or its equivalent and must have performed with distinction as a member of the varsity team in the sport in which the student-athlete was nominated. The student-athlete must have behaved, both on and off the field, in a manner that has brought credit to the student-athlete, the institution and intercollegiate athletics.
Palacios will graduate this month with a degree in aerospace engineering. A member of the Schreyer Honors College, he has received dean's list recognition each semester. Palacios is ranked first in his class in his major, with a 3.70 grade point average, and was named a Verizon Academic All-American in 2001. He also has been inducted into several honor societies, including Spiritus Lioninus and Golden Key.
A native of Gijon, Spain, Palacios was named an Academic All-American for four straight years by the College Gymnastics Coaches Association and was the team captain this past season. He was instrumental in the team's NCAA Championship in 2000. This August, Palacios hopes to represent his country at the 2003 World Championships as he keeps an eye on the 2004 Olympic Games.
Palacios recently was named recipient of the Eric A. Walker Award, presented annually to the Penn State student who has contributed most to enhancing the reputation of the University through extracurricular activities. Walker was president of the University from 1956 to 1970.
Schierhorn holds Penn State's record in the 500 freestyle, and is ranked in the top three in the 200, 1000 and 1650 freestyle on the school all time best performance list. He qualified for the NCAA Championships all four years, with his best finish coming with a 10th place effort in the 500 free in 2001. A three year CSCAA Academic All-American, he was a recipient of the prestigious "Schreyer Ambassador Travel Grant" for research outside of the United States for the 2001 and 2002 academic years, and was named to the dean's list every semester.
A native of Zappendorf, Germany, Schierhorn graduated in December from the Schreyer Honors College and Eberly College of Science with a 3.93 grade point average from the chemistry program.
Schierhorn recently was named the male recipient of Penn State's Ernest B. McCoy Memorial Award. The McCoy Award is presented annually to one senior male and one senior female student-athlete who have combined successful athletic participation with academic excellence. The award is named for Ernest B. McCoy, who was Penn State's Athletic Director and Dean of the College of Physical Education from 1952-70. His name adorns the Penn State natatorium.
