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April 18, 2011

ULM Athletics hands out top academic awards

The ULM Athletics Department handed out its top academic awards at its annual Maroon & Gold Society Banquet.

Two-time ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American Claire Clark was named the Top Senior Female Scholar Athlete and three-time All-Louisiana selection in the decathlon Ruslan Hemed was named the Top Senior Male Scholar Athlete.

"We started the Maroon & Gold Society two years ago as a way to give our student-athletes who succeed in the classroom the true recognition they deserve," ULM Director of Athletics Bobby Staub said.

"Claire and Ruslan have been great examples of what a student-athlete should be throughout their entire ULM careers. They have succeeded in both athletic competition and in the classroom while demonstrating outstanding character. I am extremely proud of all our student-athletes who were honored tonight."

Clark is 14-0 this season in singles action and has won 52 of her last 54 singles matches over the past three spring seasons.

A native of Bossier City, La., Clark has a 4.0 grade-point-average (GPA) in kinesiology.

Hemed, a native of Jerusalem, Israel, carries a 3.95 GPA in finance.

He posted the second highest decathlon score in the state of Louisiana last season as he finished second at the Sun Belt Conference Outdoor Championships.

Hemed also turned in a second place finish at the 2010 Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships in the heptathlon.

Another example of succeeding athletically and academically is the Warhawk tennis team, who received the Highest Team GPA Award.

Under the direction of head coach Terrence De Jongh, the tennis team has cumulative 3.63 GPA in the classroom, is 18-1 on the season and has won 17 straight matches.

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