Eight Student-Athletes Earn Christenberry Award for Academic Excellence
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – The Big South Conference today announced that eight student-athletes have been awarded the Conference’s prestigious
George A. Christenberry Award for Academic Excellence. The award is given to the male and female student-athlete who attain the highest GPA during their undergraduate collegiate careers. It is the seventh consecutive year at least
EIGHT student-athletes have been honored. Below are this year’s recipients in alphabetical order:
- Radford women’s tennis player Ameek Batth (4.00 in media studies/media production)
- Radford men’s cross country runner Adam Downs (4.00 in cybersecurity/mathematics)
- Presbyterian College women’s lacrosse player Kendall Goldfarb (4.00 in early childhood education)
- Presbyterian College women’s cross country runner Lili Jaraczewski (4.00 in biochemistry)
- Campbell women’s lacrosse player Camryn Johns (4.00 in healthcare management/MBA)
- High Point volleyball player Megan Kratzer (4.00 in data analytics & statistics, actuarial science and French)
- Winthrop volleyball player Atley Livingston (4.00 in exercise science)
- Gardner-Webb men’s tennis player Victor Putter (4.00 in mathematics)
Big South member institutions nominate one male and one female undergraduate student-athlete for the annual Christenberry Award, or multiple student-athletes that tie for the highest GPA on their respective campus. The honor is named for
George A. Christenberry, the former President of Augusta College (now Augusta University) and one of the founders of the Big South Conference. A member of the Big South Hall of Fame, Christenberry served as the league’s first President from 1983-86.
Batth (Bhubaneswar, India) earned nine career singles wins and five career doubles victories. She picked up a doubles win against UNC Greensboro this season, and tallied singles victories against College of Charleston, Campbell, North Carolina A&T, UNCG, Providence, Sacred Heart and Longwood during the 2021-22 campaign.
Downs (Riner, Va.) has run in five races as a Highlander, including four during his sophomore season. He owns personal bests of 21:56.5 in the 6K and 27:13.2 in the 8K. Downs represented Radford in the 2020-21 Big South Championships, but did not compete this past season.
Goldfarb (Longwood, Fla.) started 40 of 43 appearances over three years with the Blue Hose program at defender, and was part of a back line that helped PC reach its highest win percentage in school history this season. She ended her collegiate career starting 37 consecutive games dating back to 2021. She recorded 70 ground ball pickups and 40 caused turnovers over her career, also winning eight draw controls. Goldfarb tallied her first career assist as a junior in 2022, and this season helped PC achieve its best conference start in school history by opening 3-1. She has been named to the Big South Presidential Honor Roll in all three seasons with the program.
Jaraczewski (Kenosha, Wis.) was named the Big South Women’s Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year this past season, and concluded her career as a three-time honoree on the league's Women’s Cross Country All-Academic team. Jaraczewski, who served as a SAAC rep for the Blue Hose, opened the 2022 season with a time of 21:14.5 at the Eye Opener in Spartanburg as she finished 36th in the event. She continued her 2022 campaign with a 22:16.6 at UNF. Jaraczewski posted a season-best time of 20:45 at the Queen City Invite before rounding out the season with a 21:38 at the Royals Challenge. She recorded her career-best in a 5K at the spring 2021 Big South Championship with a 19:30.6.
Johns (Marietta, Ga.) helped the Camels to a runner-up finish in this year’s Women’s Lacrosse Championship. She appeared in 17 of 19 matches with six starts, and compiled a career-high 12 ground balls. She recorded a personal-best six caused turnovers in 2022, and totaled 34 appearances, 24 ground balls and nine caused turnovers during her playing career. A three-time Big South Presidential Honor Roll member, Johns has earned three Commissioner’s Award merits for her 4.0 GPA during each academic year.
Kratzer (Mechanicsville, Va.) appeared in 228 sets and 89 matches in her four years. She collected 359 kills, averaged 1.57 kills per set, tallied 54 service aces and eight assists. On the defensive end, Kratzer collected 290 digs, averaged 1.27 per set and totaled 40 blocks. She had a career-high 20 kills at Radford her freshman year (2019) in addition to a career-high 16 digs against USC Upstate that same season. Kratzer graduated this month and maintained a 4.0 in every semester for all four years. She was a 4-time Millis Scholar Athlete and honored on the University’s Dean’s List, as well as a Big South Presidential Honor Roll recipient all four years and earned the highest level with the Commissioner’s Award.
Livingston (Conway S.C.) finished her Winthrop career this past season with 15 digs, two aces, 22 matches played and 32 sets played. She graduated this past December, and was a member of the Leadership Board of Exercise Science Club, Phi Epsilon Kappa Academic Fraternity, FCA and served as an academic tutor. Livingston was named to the Winthrop President's List all four years as well as the Big South Presidential Honor Roll three times. Her most significant achievement academically as an Eagle was earning the highest Winthrop award: Presidents Award for Academic Excellence for having the highest GPA in her graduating class.
Putter (Pretoria, South Africa) was voted the Men’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the 2023 season, and is a three-time Men’s Tennis All-Academic Team honoree. A two-time Big South Player of the Week honoree during his time in Boiling Springs, Putter excelled in doubles competitions as he finished his career at 32-23 and 9-3 against league opponents pairing with six different teammates. In singles play, he collected 27 victories and made appearances at almost every flight during his career. His final win came in the semifinals of the Big South Tournament, pushing GWU to its first-ever finals appearance this past April.
Below are the 2022-23 South Conference Christenberry Award candidates, as nominated by their institutions. Each individual receives a personalized medallion for this achievement.
Campbell
Camryn Johns (lacrosse), Chandler Williford (baseball)
Charleston Southern
Annah Junge (softball), Evan Crawford (cross country)
Gardner-Webb
Bridgitte Strobl (softball), Victor Putter (tennis)
High Point
Megan Kratzer (volleyball), Benjamin Dertinger (cross country/track)
Longwood
Isabelle Villarreal (soccer), Nathaniel Wong (soccer)
Presbyterian College
Kendall Goldfarb (lacrosse), Lili Jaraczewski (cross country), John McMahon (basketball)
Radford
Ameek Batth (tennis), Adam Downs (cross country)
UNC Asheville
Claudia Prieto (track & field), Nathaniel Edwards (cross country/track)
USC Upstate
Laura Yarborough (cross country/track), El Kluaymaingarm (golf)
Winthrop
Atley Livingston (volleyball), Samuel Jones (soccer)