Academic Awards Luncheon Highlights Top 10 Scholar-Athletes

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Carolina Athletics celebrated continued academic excellence on Wednesday at the Academic Awards Luncheon, the 10^th such event and first at full-strength since the pandemic. Student-athletes from all 28 varsity sports gathered at the Loudermilk Center Blue Zone with professors, coaches and staff – as well as Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz and Provost Christopher Clemens – to hand out awards and salute success.
 
Each year, UNC recognizes the 10 graduating student-athletes – five women and five men – with the highest grade point averages as Top 10 Scholar-Athletes, and their speeches provided the afternoon’s highlights. Their words were impactful, reminding their teammates and other student-athletes how special – and how brief – their time in Chapel Hill really is. “Hard work doesn’t feel so much like hard work when you’re surrounded by people you care deeply about,” said men’s lacrosse senior P.J. Zinsner. “It’s truly been a pleasure.”
 
This year’s 10 honorees, who between them average a decidedly-not-average 3.92 GPA – are Patrick Crockett (Men’s Track & Field), Elizabeth Culton (Gymnastics), Sarah Followill (Women’s Fencing), Jessica Judge (Rowing), Krista Junkkari (Women’s Golf), Alex Morris (Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country), Will Palazzolo (Men’s Fencing), Graham Schwartz (Men’s Lacrosse), Henry Shugart (Men’s Fencing) and P.J. Zinsner (Men’s Lacrosse).
 
Stepping up to the lectern one by one, they spoke of finding a community in Chapel Hill, of discovering academic interests they’d never even considered, and of discovering (just as Followill’s father advised her before she came to UNC) that college is about much more than what you learn in the classroom.
 
Junkkari, who is from Finland, related the challenges of excelling academically and athletically far from home in a language that was not her first. Morris told the crowd that “there’s no greater gift than getting to pursue something you’re really passionate about.” Shugart reminded younger student-athletes how much support is available to them.
 
Each of the Top 10 Scholar-Athletes invited an impactful professor to attend the lunch, and other senior student-athletes were invited to do the same. Members of the Faculty Athletics Committee also attended, providing a strong faculty presence and an opportunity to salute those who…