December 10, 2003

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that former Buena Vista University basketball player and track and field performer Jessica Jensen (Elk Horn, Iowa/Elk Horn-Kimballton HS) has been named the Duane Schroeder IIAC Female Scholar Athlete of the Year for the 2002-03 academic year.

“I wish that everyone reading this had the opportunity to review the materials submitted by and on the behalf of Jessica Jensen and [IIAC Male Scholar Athlete of the Year] Jesse Harris. Not only do their resumes include national championships, multiple-year finalists for national player of the year, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude, unselfish commitments to serving their communities and a profound impact on the faculty and student body on their campuses; but these two individuals clearly demonstrate an understanding and appreciation for the impact that participation in Division III athletics will have on the rest of their lives,” IIAC Commissioner John Cochrane said. “It is the development of genuine leaders like Jessica and Jesse that continues to inspire confidence in the future and a strong sense of fulfillment for those of us that have chosen Division III athletics as our profession. They serve as a tremendous source of pride for Buena Vista University, Simpson College, the entire Iowa Conference and they represent the mission of our institutions to the fullest extent.”

Jensen graduated Magna Cum Laude in May 2003 with a 3.825 grade point average as a Biology major and served as an academic assistant in that field for two years. She earned Dean’s List honors throughout her collegiate career and was awarded an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship. Jensen was the NCAA Woman of the Year from the State of Iowa honoring the outstanding female student-athletes who have excelled in academics, athletics and community leadership. She is currently attending graduate school at Des Moines University, studying physical therapy.

“Throughout the years that I have known Jessica, she has proven to be among the strongest students I have had the pleasure of teaching. She is extraordinarily bright, she writes very well and she is extremely hard working,” Professor of Psychology Dr. Robert Ferguson said. “I never saw a single instance where she wasn’t fully prepared. Her written work was exceptional…I have colleagues who are unable to express themselves as clearly or elegantly as she does! Jessica spent four years on our campus as a truly exception student and a role model for her peers.”

Jensen served as a volunteer for “Science after School” a program that helps area middle school students excel in sciences. She was a member of the Buena Vista Science Club and a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

“Jessica excelled in her collegiate academic and athletic career because of her total commitment to excellence. She was a true competitor who was not satisfied with the status quo,” Buena Vista basketball coach Janet Berry said. “She was respected by her coaches and teammates because of her work ethic and ability to make everyone around her better. She is a very bright young woman who truly enjoys learning and challenging herself. She was never satisfied with being one of the best; she truly wanted to be ‘the’ best student, athlete and person.”

Jensen, the 2003 Iowa Conference Outdoor Track MVP, holds Conference records in the indoor 400-meter dash, the outdoor 400-meter hurdles and was a member of the Conference record-holding 4x400 meter relay team. She also holds school records in the 400-meter dash, 400-meter hurdles, pole vault, sprint medley relay, 4x100 relay, 4x200 relay and 4x400 relay. A four-time national qualifier, Jensen was the 2002 National Champion in the 400-meter hurdles and earned All-American honors in the event in 2003. She was named Buena Vista’s track and field MVP three times and was the basketball team’s Top Defensive Player as a senior.

The 2003 Harriett Henry Award winner as Buena Vista’s top female student-athlete, Jensen was a four-time Iowa Conference All-Academic Team member (twice for basketball and twice for track and field). She was a CoSIDA Academic All-District Second Team selection in track and field in 2003, and received National Track Coaches Association Academic All-American honors three times.

The Duane Schroeder IIAC Female Scholar Athlete of the Year Award was first presented in December 2001 for the 2000-01 academic year. To be eligible for nomination, a student-athlete shall have graduated or exhausted their athletic eligibility during the academic year for which the award is given. She must have demonstrated a high level of accomplishment and achievement in a varsity sport, have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale), and show evidence of scholarly achievements, community service involvement and leadership.

The Duane Schroeder IIAC Scholar Athlete of the Year Awards are named in honor of former Wartburg College sports information director Duane Schroeder. Schroeder served as Wartburg’s SID for 43 years until his retirement in 2000. Upon his retirement from his sports information duties, he was named SID Emeritus and served as Wartburg’s News Director until 2001. During much of his four decades at Wartburg, Schroeder served as the IIAC’s secretary and treasure.

Also nominated for the Duane Schroeder IIAC Female Scholar Athlete of the Year were former Central College track and field performer Jennifer Hansen, former Coe College cross country and track and field performer Tiffany Foster, former Cornell College tennis player Ingrid Spiegel, former Loras College volleyball player Shannon Leonard, and former Wartburg College volleyball player Jessica Mennen.

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