Lauren Fowlkes

Lauren Fowlkes, Tyler Davis Earn BIG EAST Institutional Scholar-Athlete Awards

Feb. 11, 2011

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Seniors Lauren Fowlkes (women’s soccer) and Tyler Davis (men’s tennis) each earned the BIG EAST Conference Scholar-Athlete Award as the institutional representatives for the University of Notre Dame, announced this week by the conference. As the recipients of the league honor, both Fowlkes and Davis will receive a $2,000 scholarship towards graduate studies.

The BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Award is one of a number of scholarships presented by the BIG EAST Conference during the 2010-11 academic year. Thirty-two student-athletes (one male and one female from each of the BIG EAST’s 16 member institutions) receive postgraduate scholarships as the winners of their respective institutions’ Scholar-Athlete Awards. The conference also names male and female Basketball Scholar-Athletes of the Year and a Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Fowlkes (Lee’s Summit, Mo./St. Teresa’s Academy) was a co-captain on the 2010 Notre Dame NCAA national champion women’s soccer team, helping the Fighting Irish to a 21-2-2 record as Notre Dame became the lowest seed (No. 4) ever to win the national title (the third in program history). Playing as both a central defender and a forward, Fowlkes ranked fourth on the team in goals (4) and points (13) and third in assists (5) this past season, while also serving as a major cog for a Fighting Irish defense that finished with a 0.51 goals-against average and 15 shutouts.

Fowlkes was a two-time National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-America selection in her career (third team in 2009 and second team in 2010), in addition to twice garnering Capital One Academic All-America honors (second team in 2009 and first team in 2010). She is one of only 13 student-athletes in Notre Dame athletics history (and the third Fighting Irish women’s soccer player) to couple athletic and academic All-America status in the same season on two different occasions.

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Tyler Davis

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A first-round draft pick (No. 5 overall) by the Philadelphia Independence in the 2010 Women’s Professional Soccer College Draft, Fowlkes is completing work on her bachelor’s degree in science-business from Notre Dame’s College of Science. She currently maintains a 3.619 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) and is a three-year member of the BIG EAST Academic All-Star Team (2008-10), in addition to having been a finalist for this year’s Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award (given annually to the nation’s top senior who blends academic and athletic excellence with distinction in the community).

Fowlkes has been a leader in service to others throughout her college career, participating with Habitat for Humanity and Christmas in April, as well a the LifeWorks Dream Teams. She also has made visits to various pediatric cancer units in the South Bend area, as well as taking part in soccer clinics for young children, and she has helped the Notre Dame women’s soccer program (and the athletics department) achieve 100-percent participation from all student-athletes.

Davis (Nashville, Tenn./Father Ryan) is currently in his second season as the men’s tennis captain, the first two-year captain in the tenure of veteran head coach Bob Bayliss. Davis’ leadership both on and off the court has been evident as he was named a Notre Dame Leader of Distinction, an award presented to individuals deemed exceptional leaders by their coaches and teammates, being one of only six student-athletes to receive this award in 2010. What’s more, the four-year starter has received the team’s Dick Bowman Award the past two years, with the award given to the player who goes above and beyond the call of duty.

Davis carries a 3.933 cumulative GPA, also as a science-business major, while being a key member of the men’s tennis team and devoting numerous hours of service to his community.

In addition to his near perfect GPA, Davis has been named to the BIG EAST Academic All-Star Team during each of his first three years at Notre Dame (2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10), as well as receiving the BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award.

Davis is also Notre Dame’s representative on BIG EAST Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and volunteers at various medical establishments, while currently applying to medical school.

Seven individuals from Notre Dame have received the prestigious BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award (including three from women’s soccer), awarded annually to one men’s and one women’s performer from one of the conference’s schools:

1997 – Jen Renola, Soccer
1998 – Errol Williams, Track & Field (hurdles)
1998 – Pat Garrity, Men’s Basketball
2000 – Jenny Streiffer, Soccer
2001 – Ruth Riley, Basketball
2002 – Jarrah Myers, Softball
2004 – Vanessa Pruzinsky, Soccer

— ND —