July 14, 2010

BERKELEY -

July 14, 2010

BERKELEY -

Pac- 10 Commissioner Larry Scott has announced that three California Golden Bear student athletes (Sophia Hocini of women's gymnastics, Kellan Patterson of men's track & field, and Shay Seager of women's crew) have been named recipients of Pac-10 Postgraduate Scholarships for 2009-10.

These $3,000 awards go to student-athletes with a minimum 3.0 GPA who have also demonstrated a commitment to continuing education, campus and community involvement, and leadership. Since the program began in 1999, the Pac-10 has awarded over $1 million for postgraduate study. This year, 38 Pac-10 student athletes received one of these postgraduate scholarships.

To be selected for a Pac-10 Postgraduate Scholarship, a student-athlete must:

• Have an overall undergraduate minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 (based on a 4.00 scale) or its equivalent.

• Be in his/her final season of intercollegiate athletics eligibility in all sports OR be in his/her final year of undergraduate studies, having exhausted athletics eligibility in all sports. The student-athlete will be evaluated on the basis of all academic work completed at time of selection.

• Have performed with distinction as a member of a varsity team. The degree of the student-athlete's athletic achievement will be weighed at least equally with the degree of academic performance.

• Intend to continue academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree as a full-time student in a graduate or professional program at an accredited institution, or in a postgraduate program for which an undergraduate degree is required for admission.

• Have behaved, both on and off the field, in a manner that has brought credit to the student-athlete, the institution and intercollegiate athletics.

Sophia Hocini, a three-year captain for the women's gymnastics team, was an active member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), where she led and engaged in a range of community service activities, including Race for the Cure, Relay for Life, Earth Day events. She in interested in pursuing graduate studies in either cancer biology or physical therapy.

Kellan Patterson was a Track and Field student athlete who ran the 100 and 200 meters and was a member of Cal's NCAA regional qualifying 4x100 relay team. He earned the Berkeley Mayor's Award for Community Service. He graduated in May in Political Science and plans to attend law school.

Shay Seager, a member of the national runner up women's crew team, graduated in Conservation and Resource Studies. She has already published a scientific paper and plans to pursue sports medicine and plans to attend medical school at Rutgers University.

Complete List of Recipients