General | 6/12/2019 3:19:00 PM

    BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – West Liberty University women's volleyball star Stephanie Leonard and Hilltopper men's basketball standout Dalton Bolon have been selected as finalists for the Mountain East Conference's fourth annual MEC Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award.
    The MEC Scholar-Athlete Awards were created to recognize the conference's male and female student-athletes who achieved at a high level in the classroom and on the playing field. Minimum qualifications are a 3.30 grade-point average, participation in at least 50 percent of the team's contests in an MEC-sponsored sport and a minimum of one year in residence at the institution.
    Leonard, a 6-0 senior middle blocker/outside hitter from Milford, Mich., was a key factor in leading the WLU women to a 24-win season and the first regional ranking in school history. A first-team All-MEC selection who also earned a berth on the MEC All-Tournament Team, the 2015 MEC Freshman of the Year recorded more than 1,000 career kills and was an honorable mention All-Region pick as a senior.
    Her academic accomplishments were every bit as impressive. A 4-time member of the MEC All-Academic Team, Leonard never received a grade lower than "A" during her four years on the hilltop and was a first-team NCAA Division II Academic All-District honoree this season. She was the banner carrier for the College of Education at West Liberty's May Commencement as the Education graduate with the highest GPA in the class.
    Bolon, a 6-4 redshirt sophomore guard from Gnadenhutten, Ohio, helped lead the WLU men to their second straight Mountain East Conference title and was a driving force behind the Hilltoppers' run to the NCAA Division II "Sweet 16." The leading scorer on the highest-scoring team in the nation despite being forced to play with a patch over one eye due to an off-season injury, Bolon earned All-America honors from Basketball Times magazine to go along with his All-MEC, All-Region and NABC All-District laurels. He ranked among the Top 10 nationally with 106 3-point field goals and has posted 1,182 points to go along with 199 3-point field goals in his first two varsity seasons.
    The Hilltopper sharpshooter had a big year in the classroom, as well. An NCAA Division II Academic All-American, Bolon posted perfect 4.00 GPAs in each semester while pursuing a dual major in Human Biology and Exercise Physiology. He capped his academic year by being selected to present the results of his original research project at the national Experimental Biology 2019 convention in Orlando, Fla.
    The MEC Male and Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year will be determined by a vote of MEC administrators and league office personnel. Results of the league-wide balloting will be announced later this month.