June 24, 2008

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -

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Colorado State senior April Thomas and TCU senior Joseph Brown were announced today as the 2007-08 Mountain West Conference Female and Male Student-Athletes of the Year, respectively.

Established by the Mountain West Conference Joint Council in 1999, the Student-Athlete of the Year award is the highest honor presented to a student-athlete by the league. The award is bestowed annually to one female and one male who best exemplify the term "student-athlete" by achieving excellence in academics, athletics and community involvement. Criterion for the Student-Athlete of the Year award requires that nominees demonstrate leadership, character and conduct on and off the playing field. In addition to superior athletic achievement, candidates must have a minimum 3.5 grade point average. The winners each receive a $2,500 postgraduate scholarship.

Thomas, a native of Aurora, Colo., graduated summa cum laude from Colorado State in May, 2008, with an undergraduate degree in biological sciences and a minor in business administration. She achieved a cumulative grade point average of 4.0 while competing on the women's cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field teams. Thomas lettered in all three sports during her career and this past November led the Rams to their first MWC Women's Cross Country Championship, finishing as the individual champion despite battling an injury the majority of the season leading up to the race. She was named to the Academic All-MWC teams in cross country and track and field for each of the last three years while also collecting three consecutive MWC Scholar-Athlete Awards. A multiple All-MWC and Academic All-American selection, Thomas was also named to the Dean's List and President's Honor Roll all 10 semesters at Colorado State. In addition to her academic and athletic pursuits, Thomas was involved in numerous outreach activities, most notably participating in a mentoring program for children. Thomas' leadership and performance at the 2008 MWC Outdoor Track and Field Championship assisted Colorado State in securing its first title for the women's outdoor track and field program as well.

Brown also graduated this past May after posting a 3.678 grade point average at TCU while earning an undergraduate degree with a double major in marketing and entrepreneurial management. A walk-on to the Horned Frogs' track and field team as a freshman in 2004-05, Brown closed out his collegiate career by winning the men's javelin title at the 2008 MWC Outdoor Track and Field Championship and earning All-American honors with a 10th-place finish in the javelin at the 2008 NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships. In recognition of his academic and athletic accomplishments, he was selected as the 2008 Dutch Meyer Male Scholar Athlete of the Year and was honored with the 2008 Chancellor's Award, two of the highest academic accolades presented to a TCU student-athlete. Brown, an Overland Park, Kan., product, served as a Resident Assistant for three years in addition to administering campus tours and working with numerous community service and volunteer groups, including Habitat for Humanity and SafeHaven of Tarrant County. He is a member of the Mortar Board National Senior Honor Society, Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honor Society and the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity. In addition to earning Academic All-MWC and MWC Scholar-Athlete recognition for each of the last three years, Brown garnered Academic All-District and Academic All-American honors while also earning a position on the Dean's List and Athletics Director's Honor Roll during his enrollment at TCU.