IRVING, Texas – Former Southern Mississippi women’s soccer standout Caitlin Leumas was one of 12 recipients of the Jim Castañeda Postgraduate Scholarship, awarded by Conference USA.
This is the fifth 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. The conference annually presents the $4,000 Postgraduate Scholarship awards to graduates as selected by the C-USA Faculty Athletics Representatives and approved by the Board of Directors.
Leumas completed her eligibility last fall for the Golden Eagles after four years of stellar play in the defensive backfield. In her senior year, she earned her second Capital One Academic All-District 6 First Team honor and was named to her third straight C-USA All-Academic team. In 2012, she added All-Conference third team honors as well. Additionally, she was a four-year recipient of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal and was on the President’s List every semester of her collegiate career.
The Mandeville, La., native maintained a flawless 4.0 GPA at Southern Miss as a Kinesiotherapy major and completed her Golden Eagle career as one of the most durable in history, playing 6,347 of a possible 6,564 minutes in her career, missing just 212 minutes over the first three games of her freshman campaign and coming off to a standing ovation in the final five minutes of the 2012 season finale.
“Caitlin was one of the most well-round, successful players I have ever had the distinct pleasure of being around,” said Leumas’ former coach, Scott Ebke. “She had all the intangibles you want in a leader, the passion for the game you want in a player, and the commitment to excellence you want in a student. I can think of no one more deserving of this award.”
Leumas has applied to physical therapy graduate programs at LSU, South Alabama and UAB.
http://www.southernmiss.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/061813aaa.html