U-M's Grieco Awarded NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior Janessa Grieco (Mahopac, N.Y./Carmel HS), co-captain of the University of Michigan women's gymnastics team, has been selected to receive an NCAA postgraduate scholarship. She is one of 29 female student-athletes in all three NCAA divisions of eight winter sports to receive the scholarship and the only U-M student-athlete honored so far this academic year.

Grieco

Grieco, who is focusing on a career which will lead to an athletic director position, was selected for the $6,900 one-time, nonrenewable scholarship by the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Committee from a pool of candidates who have earned a grade-point average of 3.200 or higher, performed with distinction as a member of the varsity team, behaved -- both on and off the field -- in a manner that has brought credit to the student-athlete, the institution and intercollegiate athletics and intend to continue academic work as a graduate student.

Grieco, the only senior on the 2003 women's gymnastics team, led the Wolverines to a fifth-place finish at the NCAA National Championships, their seventh top-five finish in program history. She competed in every event in all 16 meets, winning four balance beam, two floor exercise and two all-around titles. Grieco posted the second-best balance beam season average (9.830) and the third-best floor exercise season average (9.897) in program history. She finished her career as the only U-M gymnast with four floor exercise season averages among the top 20 in program history and the only Wolverine with four balance beam season averages among the top 30 in program history.

Grieco is a three-time All-America first team member and four-time All-Big Ten selection. The 2000 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, she was the 2003 Big Ten balance beam champion and was a finalist for the Big Ten Gymnast of the Year award and the AAI American Award. Grieco, a two-year captain of the women's gymnastics team, received the U-M Big Ten Medal of Honor and the U-M Phyllis Ocker Award at the annual Michigan Athletic Academic Achievement Awards Banquet.

Outside the gym, Grieco has earned every National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches (Women) Scholastic All-America award (2000, '01, '02), Academic All-Big Ten Conference award (2001, '02, '03) and U-M Athletic Academic Achievement Award (2000, '01, '02, '03) for which she has been eligible.

In addition to the winter sport honorees, the NCAA also awards 116 postgraduate scholarships to student-athletes participating in fall and spring sports in which the NCAA conducts championships. A total of 174 postgraduate scholarships (87 for women and 87 for men) are given annually.

NCAA Release (4/30/03)

Contact: Jason Gerdom (734) 763-4423

University of Michigan Athletics

Players Mentioned

Janessa Grieco

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