West Virginia University’s Alex Ruoff, Alison Spiker and Reed Williams have been named winners of the Big East Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards, which recognize academic and athletic achievement as well as community service.
It’s a distinct honor given to one student-athlete in each Big East sport based on academic credentials, athletic accolades or performances and volunteer service to the community.
Student-athletes who attained junior academic standing and a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 are eligible. The winners were chosen by the Big East faculty athletic representatives.
Ruoff, a junior from Spring Hill, Fla., was named a third-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America selection by the College Sports Information Directors of America last season.
A history major, he started every game last season for the basketball team, averaging 13.8 points per game and 3.4 rebounds per game.
A redshirt senior from Ripley, Spiker captained last year’s Big East championship cross country team that placed ninth at the NCAA Championships. The biology major is a member of the WVU Honors Program, the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and the Big East Academic All-Star team.
Williams, a senior linebacker in football, is a regular on the dean’s list and the Athletic Director’s Academic Honor Roll. He was selected as a first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America scholar last year.
As a junior last season, the Moorefield native led the Mountaineer defense with 107 tackles, including a team-leading 48 unassisted tackles and a team-high three forced fumbles. He was selected the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Defensive MVP, when he finished with nine tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss and forced a fumble in the 48-28 victory over No. 3 Oklahoma.
