The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Deanna Kuzmanic Earns Conference USA Postgraduate Scholarship
6/10/2019 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Recent graduate Deanna Kuzmanic of the UAB women's basketball team has been selected as one of 14 winners of the 2019 Jim Castañeda Conference USA Postgraduate Scholarship Award, the league office announced on Monday.
Annually awarded for $4,000 to one graduated student-athlete from each member institution, the winners were selected by the C-USA Faculty Athletics Representatives and approved by the Board of Directors.
"Deanna is the epitome of the perfect student-athlete," said UAB Faculty Athletics Representative Dr. Frank Messina. "She is a leader on the court, a phenomenal student in the classroom and an active volunteer in our community. Her going on to graduate school to become a math teacher shows her commitment to our future generations."
A three-time all-conference and all-academic selection, Kuzmanic started all 128 games during her career and polished off nearly 13 points and seven rebounds per game throughout her final season in 2018-19. A four-time C-USA Academic Medal recipient, the Mount Prospect, Ill., native posted a 3.94 GPA as she earned her Bachelor of Science in mathematics with a minor in STEM education.
"Deanna is so deserving of this award," said UAB women's basketball coach Randy Norton. "For four years, she has been dominate on the court and in the classroom. She has been such a great ambassador of our program and UAB."
This is the 11th year the award has been named for Dr. Castañeda, who served Rice University for 46 years as an educator, coach and Faculty Athletics Representative before he passed away in November 2008.
For more information on the UAB women's basketball team, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_WBB), on Instagram (UAB_WBBall) or like them on Facebook (Facebook.com/UABWBB).
2019 Jim Castañeda Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients
Harris Yett, Baseball, Charlotte
Diamond Johnson, Baseball, Florida Atlantic
Elhadji Dieng, Men's Basketball, FIU
Derric Jean, Men's Basketball, Louisiana Tech
Thomas Martin, Baseball, Marshall
Herschel Paulk, Baseball, Middle Tennessee
Hannah Winn, Women's Track, North Texas
Mufu Taiwo, Football, Old Dominion
Elsa Racasan, Women's Track/Cross Country, Rice
Olawumi Akinniyi, Women's Soccer, Southern Miss
Deanna Kuzmanic, Women's Basketball, UAB
Lilian Koech, Women's Track/Cross Country, UTEP
Charlette Janicek, Women's Track/Cross Country, UTSA
Rachel Anderson, Volleyball, WKU
Annually awarded for $4,000 to one graduated student-athlete from each member institution, the winners were selected by the C-USA Faculty Athletics Representatives and approved by the Board of Directors.
"Deanna is the epitome of the perfect student-athlete," said UAB Faculty Athletics Representative Dr. Frank Messina. "She is a leader on the court, a phenomenal student in the classroom and an active volunteer in our community. Her going on to graduate school to become a math teacher shows her commitment to our future generations."
A three-time all-conference and all-academic selection, Kuzmanic started all 128 games during her career and polished off nearly 13 points and seven rebounds per game throughout her final season in 2018-19. A four-time C-USA Academic Medal recipient, the Mount Prospect, Ill., native posted a 3.94 GPA as she earned her Bachelor of Science in mathematics with a minor in STEM education.
"Deanna is so deserving of this award," said UAB women's basketball coach Randy Norton. "For four years, she has been dominate on the court and in the classroom. She has been such a great ambassador of our program and UAB."
This is the 11th year the award has been named for Dr. Castañeda, who served Rice University for 46 years as an educator, coach and Faculty Athletics Representative before he passed away in November 2008.
For more information on the UAB women's basketball team, follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_WBB), on Instagram (UAB_WBBall) or like them on Facebook (Facebook.com/UABWBB).
2019 Jim Castañeda Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients
Harris Yett, Baseball, Charlotte
Diamond Johnson, Baseball, Florida Atlantic
Elhadji Dieng, Men's Basketball, FIU
Derric Jean, Men's Basketball, Louisiana Tech
Thomas Martin, Baseball, Marshall
Herschel Paulk, Baseball, Middle Tennessee
Hannah Winn, Women's Track, North Texas
Mufu Taiwo, Football, Old Dominion
Elsa Racasan, Women's Track/Cross Country, Rice
Olawumi Akinniyi, Women's Soccer, Southern Miss
Deanna Kuzmanic, Women's Basketball, UAB
Lilian Koech, Women's Track/Cross Country, UTEP
Charlette Janicek, Women's Track/Cross Country, UTSA
Rachel Anderson, Volleyball, WKU
Players Mentioned
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