Abby Van Winkle Named Pac-12 BVB Scholar-Athlete of the Year

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STANFORD, Calif. — UCLA graduate student Abby Van Winkle has been named the Pac-12 Beach Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the 2023 season, the conference announced tonight. The award is presented in each of the 24 sports sponsored by the Pac-12 and was established to honor collegiate student-athletes that are standouts both academically and in their sports discipline.

Van Winkle is currently pursuing a graduate degree in project management and has a 3.95 cumulative graduate grade-point-average. She has been named to the UCLA Athletic Director Honor Roll (3.0+ GPA in 12+ graded units) nine times and completed her undergraduate degree with a 3.68 GPA in physiological science. The 2019 Pac-12 All-Freshman Team recipient went on to clinch the final point in the 2019 NCAA National Championship and earn herself a spot on the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team.

In 2022, Van Winkle became a First Team AVCA All-American and claimed her third appearance on the U.S Beach Collegiate National Team. Finishing the 2022 season with an overall record of 30-11, Van Winkle has continued to dominate the 2023 season with a current 29-6 record between courts one and two.

Van Winkle is the third Bruin to earn Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year in beach volleyball (Izzy Carey – 2019, Lea Monkhouse – 2022) and the 22nd recipient from UCLA all-time.

In order to be eligible for the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, student-athletes must be a senior (in athletics eligibility), on track to receive a degree, have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher, participate in at least 50 percent of the scheduled contests in the sport and have a minimum one year in residence at the institution. Each Pac-12 institution may nominate one individual per sport, and the winners are selected by a committee of Pac-12 staff members at the conclusion of each sport’s regular season. The athletics accomplishments of the nominees are a consideration in voting for the award.

ALSO NOMINATED: Sarah Blacker, ARIZ; Sarah Van Winkle, who received her bachelor’s in physiological sciene with a 3.68 grade-point average, is currently pursuing a graduate degree in education and has a 3.95 grade-point average in her advanced coursework. A 2019 NCAA…