Three Butler student-athletes are among the winners of the 2016-17 BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards, which recognize academic and athletic achievement as well as community service.
 
Erik Peterson and Olivia Pratt were recognized for men's and women's indoor track and field, respectively, while David Goldsmith won the honor for men's soccer.
 
The Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards are given to one student-athlete in each BIG EAST-sponsored 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.
 
During the 2017 indoor season, Peterson was the BIG EAST Champion in both the 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter events, earning Men's Most Outstanding Performer in Track Events for the championships. He placed sixth and 13^th, respectively, in the events at the NCAA Championships, earning All-America honors. Peterson is a graduate student in Butler's Master's of Professional Accounting program. Peterson was the 2015-16 Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award winner in Outdoor Track & Field, making him one of only two repeat honorees among this year's award recipients.
 
Pratt posted a cumulative GPA of 3.748, graduating with a degree in Political Science & Gender, Women and Sexuality. During the indoor season, Pratt was the 2017 BIG EAST Champion in the 5,000-meters and finished tenth in the event at the NCAA Championships, earning All-America honors.
 
Goldsmith had previously been named the 2017 BIG EAST Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. His accomplishments in leading the Bulldogs to the 2016 BIG EAST team title included being named a 2016 MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalist; 2016 NSCAA All-America Second Team; NSCAA All-Region First Team; 2016 BIG EAST Co-Offensive Player of the Year; 2016 All-BIG EAST First Team; and 2016 BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Offensive Player. He graduated with a degree in Middle/Secondary Education, Human Movement and Health Science, Recreation and Sports Studies with a 3.88 GPA.
 
The list of 22 honorees includes 16 seniors, four juniors and two graduate students.  Nine of the winners competed in the NCAAs in their respective sports this past year. Fourteen were or have been BIG EAST Players of the Year or Individual BIG EAST Championship winners. All 10 full-time BIG EAST members were represented, with two affiliate members. Seton Hall had the most honorees with five, followed by Villanova with four and Butler with three.
 
While the format of the awards allows for only one declared winner in each sport category, the selection of the recipients proves each year to be a challenge for the FAR Council, as candidate nominees represent exceptional student-athletes who excel in academics, service, and athletics, and are outstanding representatives of their schools and the Conference.
 
2016-17 Sport Excellence Award Winners
Baseball – Todd Czinege (Villanova)
Men's Basketball – Billy Garrett, Jr. (DePaul)
Women's Basketball – Jessica January (Depaul)
Men's Cross Country – Patrick Tiernen (Villanova)
Women's Cross Country – Angel Piccirillo (Villanova)
Men's Indoor Track & Field – Erik Peterson (Butler)
Women's Indoor Track & Field – Olivia Pratt (Butler)
Men's Outdoor Track & Field – Hugh Armstrong (Providence)
Women's Outdoor Track & Field – Piper Donaghu (Georgetown)
Field Hockey – Serena Barr (Liberty)
Men's Golf – Lloyd Jefferson Go (Seton Hall)
Women's Golf - Cassie Pantelas (Seton Hall)
Men's Lacrosse – Andy Demichiei (Marquette)
Women's Lacrosse – Brenda McDermott (Temple)
Men's Soccer – David Goldsmith (Butler)
Women's Soccer – Diana Poulin (St. Johns)
Softball – Alexis Walkden (Seton Hall)
Men's Swimming & Diving – Noah Yanchulis (Seton Hall)
Women's Swimming & Diving – Emily Mayo (Villanova)
Men's Tennis – Harrison Lang (Creighton)
Women's Tennis – Chrisitina Di Lorenzo (Xavier)
Volleyball – Tessa Fournier (Seton Hall)