Already the most decorated student-athlete in the 74-year history of University of Minnesota Duluth athletics, track and field standout Heather Hamilton added another entry to her burgeoning collegiate resume today when she was named the female NCAA Division II Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the NCAA II Conference Commissioners Association. Augustana College's Aaron Graumann was the male recipient, marking the first time in the six-year history of the award that both winners came from the North Central Conference.



Hamilton, a native of St. Paul, Minn, was chosen from a field of eight female regional scholar-athlete award winners which were announced last month.



This past June, Hamilton landed a spot on the 15-member 2004-05 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America College Division Women's Track and Field/Cross Country First Team, becoming, in the process, the first Bulldog to be bestowed with national academic All-American recognition on three occasions (she was a first team pick in 2004 and a third team honoree in 2003). One month earlier she received the North Central Conference's coveted 2005 Stan Marshall Award, which is presented each year to one male and one female senior student-athlete who distinguish themselves through academic performance, athletic ability and community activities. Hamilton is currently pursuing a master's degree in social work after she graduated with honors (summa cum laude; 4.00 cumulative grade point average) from UMD in May 2004 with degrees in women’s studies and psychology. During her stay at UMD, she has also been the recipient of the following scholarships: Raymond W. Darland All-American Scholarship (based on scholastic record, character, citizenship and leadership; 2003-04), College of Liberal Arts Scholarships (based on scholarship, campus leadership and community involvement; 2003-04) UMD’s Presidential Scholarship (given to Minnesota residents ranking in top 5 percent of their senior class who demonstrate outstanding leadership abilities; 2000-04), and Bohannon Merit Scholarship from UMD’s College of Education and Human Service Professions (based on scholarship and campus involvement; 2002-04). A member of the Dean’s list for Academic Excellence all 10 semesters thus far, Hamilton landed UMD’s Top Female Scholar-Athlete Award for 2003-04 and was the first winner of the Shjon Podein Community Service Award (awarded annually to a UMD student-athlete who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the field of play and has made noteworthy humanitarian contributions to the Duluth and UMD communities). Hamilton, an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipient in 2004, also earned NCC/All-NSIC All-Academic Team honors on eight occasions in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. In her Bulldog swan song this past March, she placed sixth in the 800-meter run at the NCAA II Indoor Track and Field Championships en route to attaining All-American status . Hamilton, an All-American outdoor track performer the previous year as well (eighth place in the 400-meter hurdles), was a 24-time All-NCC/NSIC track honoree. She won seven individual conference indoor and outdoor titles as a Bulldog and holds four UMD individual records – all outdoor (100-meter hurdles , 400-meter hurdles and the heptathlon), and ran a leg on three record-breaking relay teams (indoor: 4 x 200-meters and 4 x 400-meters, outdoor: 4 x 400-meters). On top of all this, Hamilton lettered for the first time in cross country this past fall.