Seniors Deborah Birrer of the swimming team and Adam Waugh of the football team have been named Robert G. Bone Scholars at Illinois State University for the 2001-2002 academic year.
The distinction of Bone Scholar is the highest university honor bestowed upon an undergraduate student at Illinois State. The late Robert G. Bone was the president of Illinois State for 11 years from 1956 to 1967. Waugh and Birrer are the 12th and 13th Redbird athletes to receive the 34-year old honor.
Fourteen Bone Scholars are chosen annually through a campus wide competition involving scholarship and activities in both the university and Bloomington-Normal communities.
Athletics Director Perk Weisenburger agreed that both Birrer and Waugh deserve the highly respectable award.
"Adam and Deborah have set the standard for for excellence in a collegiate setting. Both individuals have distinguished themselves from their peers in the classroom and in the realm of athletics, said Weisenburger.
This is certainly a tremendous honor not only for Adam and Deborah, but for the entire athletics department as well. It speaks volumes about the dedication of our student-athletes and our support staff to a committment of excellence both in the classroom and on the playing field."
Birrer, a native of Plainfield, Ind. holds a 4.0 cumulative grade point average in athletic training.
The Brownsburg High School alum is a two-time first team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection and All-Valley Scholar athlete. In 2000-2001, Birrer was part of a 200-medley relay team that ranked second in the Valley while she placed ninth out of 40 swimmers in the 50-yard freestyle.
Waugh, a native of Libertyville, Ill., boasts a 4.0 GPA with a major in political science. The senior outside linebacker has earned the distinction of a Verizon Academic All-American and the ISU Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year and has been named to the Verizon All-District V team and All-Gateway Academic first team twice, in 1999 and 2000.
Waugh is the Redbirds active leader in starts with 36 and stands only 40 tackles short of becoming only the ninth Redbird ever to record 300 tackles.
