MELBOURNE, Fla. (Athletics News) – Eighteen student-athletes were recognized during Florida Tech’s Spring Honors Convocation last Thursday at the Gleason Performing Arts Center. In all, the distinguished group combined to win 25 awards.

Several Panthers earned at least one honor, including volleyball’s Janelle Branch, women’s tennis’ Abbey Keister and Monica Price, women’s soccer’s Brittany Rainbow, women’s cross country and track & field’s Brittany Reinard, and men’s cross country and track & field’s Ross Russell.

Branch, Reinard and Russell were awarded three student excellence awards. Branch was selected for the Donald R. Mason Award. Reinard was given the university’s Outstanding Senior Award by President Dr. Anthony J. Catanese. Russell was one of three students to receive the Dr. J. Clayton Baum Chemistry Award.

A list of student-athletes who received an award can be found below.


Distinguished Student Scholars
Roderick Blevins, Mechanical Engineering, Men’s Soccer
Janelle Branch, Chemical Engineering, Volleyball
Nicole Clarke, Biochemistry, Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field
Laura Fitzsimmons, Communication, Women’s Golf
Katarina Huba, Chemistry, Women’s Tennis
Kaylin Jaichon, Accounting, Women’s Basketball
Abbey Keister, Communication, Women’s Tennis
Ryan McChesney, Civil Engineering, Baseball
Monica Price, Chemistry, Women’s Tennis
Chelsea Pushman, Marketing, Women’s Soccer
Brittany Rainbow, Ecology, Women’s Soccer
Brittany Reinard, Premedical Biology, Women's Cross Country and Track & Field
Ross Russell, Biochemistry, Men’s Cross Country and Track & Field

Outstanding Student Awards
Nathan M. Bisk College of Business
Junior: Brock Bontrager, Baseball

College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Senior: Janelle Branch, Volleyball

Department of Civil Engineering
Junior: Erin Hughes, Volleyball

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Sophomore: Jenna Philipp, Women’s Rowing
Senior: Allison Metzger, Women’s Rowing
Senior: Mike Schmidt, Men’s Tennis

College of Psychology and Liberal Arts
Department of Humanities and Communication
Senior: Abbey Keister, Women’s Tennis

College of Science
Department of Biological Sciences
Senior: Brittany Rainbow, Women’s Soccer

Department of Chemistry
Senior: Monica Price, Women’s Tennis

Student Excellence Awards
Donald R. Mason Award
Janelle Branch, Volleyball

Dr. J. Clayton Baum Chemistry Award
Ross Russell, Men’s Cross Country and Track & Field

Outstanding Senior Award
Brittany Reinard, Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field