Senior All-American distance runner Stephanie Madia and senior Irish freestyle swimmer Patrick Davis have been awarded $2,000 post-graduate stipends from the Big East Conference for their academic and athletic achievements.
Madia, a three time All-American in cross country and track and field, placed sixth or higher in each of the five races in which she participated during the 2005 cross country season. For her efforts during this dominant run, Madia was among four finalists for the Honda Sports Award, given annually to the top women's cross-country athlete. She ended the season with a third place finish at the NCAA championships. She is currently running with the Irish track and field team and recently placed fourth at the Meyo Invitational for the 3,000 meter run, qualifying provisionally for the NCAA Indoor Championships.
"I'm really honored to be considered for this award and I feel that I'm in good company with the others who have been awarded with it," Madia said. "A lot of people have made this possible, Notre Dame is a place where I have had people in both the academic and athletic portions of my time here greatly contribute to what I have done."
In addition to her achievements on the running paths, Madia, a finance major, has compiled a 3.48 cumulative GPA and is a two-year member of the athletic department's Academic Honors faculty mentoring program.
This award is yet another achievement for the All-American senior, who has put together a solid career running for the Irish cross country and track teams.
"It's one small part of my Notre Dame experience," she said. "It's one additional thing to add to the great memories I've had here."
Madia and the Irish track and field team are set to compete at the Big East Indoor Championships this weekend at Akron, Ohio. She will be running the 5,000 meter and 3,000 meter runs and is looking to improve upon her performances from this season.
"I'm really looking forward to it, and I'm really excited about our team's prospects for winning the meet," she said.
Patrick Davis has compiled his own set of accolades, earning All-District V honors (College Sports Information Directors of America) and putting together 19 career individual wins with three from this season. Davis also holds several impressive marks, including the third-best time in school history for the 1,650 freestyle (15:34.41), the fourth-best time in the 1,000 free (9:23.23) and the fifth-best time in the 500 free (4:28.89).
Davis, a computer science major in the college of engineering, has made the Dean's List during each of his four years at Notre Dame and has compiled a 3.80 cumulative GPA. Davis will be competing at his fourth Big East Championship meet this week at East Meadow, NY, and will participate in three events. He will be swimming in the 1,650 yard freestyle, 500 yard freestyle and the 400 individual medley.
Davis was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
