Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/25/11
From Press Releases
The BIG EAST Conference has announced the 24 winners of the 2010-11 BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards, which recognize academic and athletic achievement as well as community service. Villanova’s Brian Karalunas (Dewitt, N.Y.) has been named the Men’s Lacrosse recipient for the second straight year after winning the same award for the 2009-2010 academic year.
The Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards are given to one student-athlete in each BIG EAST sport based on academic credentials, athletic accolades or performances and volunteer service to the community. Student-athletes who have attained junior academic standing and a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 are eligible. The winners are chosen by the BIG EAST Faculty Athletics Representative Council.
Karalunas graduates Villanova with a 3.94 cumulative GPA while being named to the Dean’s List every semester. Among his many academic honors, Karalunas is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. Additionally, 2010-2011 American Eagle Outfitters BIG EAST Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year is an awards proctor for the Villanova Special Olympics Fall Festival – the largest student-run Special Olympics festival in the United States. He was also named to the prestigious Capital One Academic All-America® First Team, the first Villanova student-athlete to be named to the first team since 2005.
Karalunas finishes his career as the most decorated men’s lacrosse student-athlete in program history. He is Villanova’s first three-time USILA All-American and garnered back-to-back BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2010 and 2011.
On the field, the long-stick midfielder finished his senior season with 74 ground balls and 70 caused turnovers, leading the NCAA averaging 4.38 takeaways per game. He is Villanova and the NCAA’s career leader with 153 caused turnovers and ranks ninth all-time at VU with 213 ground balls. Additionally, Karalunas was also honored the 2011 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse.
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