WASHINGTON- Two Georgetown student-athletes were named winners of the BIG EAST Sport Excellence Award, announced Monday. Julia Leas (women’s soccer) and Melissa Riggins (women’s indoor track and field) both received the award, which recognizes academic and athletic achievements as well as community service. In addition, the men’s swimming and diving team and the men’s golf team received the BIG EAST Team Academic Excellence Award on Thursday.

The Sport Excellence Awards are presented to a student-athlete in any BIG EAST-sponsored sport based on academic record, athletic distinction or achievement, and community volunteerism. Student-athletes who have achieved junior academic status and have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 are eligible. Winners are selected by the BIG EAST Faculty Athletics Representative Council.

The Team Academic Excellence Awards go to the team that earned the highest grade point averages in each conference sport. Winners were selected based on the 2023-24 grade point average of each student-athlete on an institution’s roster as of the final championship segment competition in each conference-sponsored sport.

JULIA LEAS, BIG EAST SPORT EXCELLENCE AWARD – WOMEN’S FOOTBALL

• Leas received her master’s degree in the winter of 2023 and was named a United Soccer Coaches First Team Scholar All-America.
• On the field, Leas capped her 2023 season by being named a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist and a United Soccer Coaches First Team All-American.
• Leas helped the Hoyas win both the BIG EAST regular season and conference titles and was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year.

MELISSA RIGGINS, BIG EAST SPORT EXCELLENCE AWARD – WOMEN’S INDOOR ATHLETICS
• Riggins is a rising senior academically and earned All-America honors in both the indoor and outdoor seasons during the 2023-24 school year.
• She placed fourth nationally in the women’s indoor mile at the NCAA Championships and returned in the spring season to place fourth in the outdoor 1,500-meter run, both times being named a First Team All-American.
• Of her seven career BIG EAST individual titles, Riggins won two in the 2023-24 season. She won the indoor 800m title in the winter and the outdoor 1,500m title in the spring.
• Riggins continues to excel off the track, earning USTFCCCA All-Academic honors after both the cross country and track seasons.

MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING, BIG EAST TEAMS ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD
• The Hoyas became three-time BIG EAST champions at the 2024 championships.
• The Hoyas achieved the highest GPA in the conference at 3.663.
• During the 2023-22 season, the team was selected to the Scholar All-America Team by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of American (CSCAA).

MEN’S GOLF, BIG EAST TEAM ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD
• This is the first time the men’s golf program has received the award.
• Had the highest team GPA ever at 3.801.
• Four Hoyas were named Cobalt Golf All-America Scholars and the team received the GCAA Outstanding Team Academic Award.