Rebecca Esselstein Named MW Scholar-Athlete of the Year
7/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
July 28, 2015
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Rebecca Esselstein, a 2015 graduate of the Air Force Academy, earned another postseason academic honor this afternoon (July 28), as the Mountain West named her its Student-Athlete of the Year for the 2014-15 season. She is the first member of the track/field and cross country teams to earn this award.
"We couldn't be more proud of Rebecca and all she has accomplished during her career at the Academy, culminating with this honor," Jim Knowlton, Air Force's Director of Athletics, said. "She is an outstanding role model for cadet-athletes and will be to the Airmen she leads during her Air Force career."
This is the second major academic award of the postseason for Esselstein, who was named the CoSIDA-Capital One Academic All-American of the Year for Division I Women's Track/Field and Cross Country last month.
A Rhodes Scholar-elect for 2015, Esselstein graduated in May with a 3.98 grade-point-average in astronautical engineering. She was the top overall cadet for the Class of 2015 – an honor that recognizes excellence in academic, military and athletic performance – while also being named the top cadet, academically, of the Academy's 840 graduates. A three-time Capital One Academic All-American, an eight-time academic all-conference selection and an eight-time MW Scholar-Athlete, Esselstein was also honored as the Air Force Student-Athlete of the Year.
As a cadet, she completed research on radar and infrared signatures at M.I.T., and was an Aspen Institute Socrates Program Scholar, studying the U.S. Supreme Court. She held numerous leadership positions within the Cadet Wing, including Group Drill and Ceremonies Officer, Operations Group Deputy Commander for Summer Programs and Flight Commander. She was also a member of the Dean's Aces and a constant fixture on the Superintendent's List for excellence in military, academic and athletic performance. In addition to her duties at the Academy, Esselstein volunteered with the Wounded Warriors Training Camp, collected money for Donor's Choice Charities and taught engineering to the Boy Scouts.
As a member of the Air Force cross country and track teams, Esselstein competed in all six cross country meets during the fall and impacted the Academy record book during the track and field season. A member of the distance medley relay team that won the MW championship in 2013, she ran the 800-meter leg of the DMR team that recorded the second-fastest time in Academy history (11:49.14, adjusted for altitude) this past season. Individually, Esselstein competed in three events – 800-meter run, mile run, 1500-meter run – and advanced to the finals of the 1500-meter event at the Mountain West Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
"Rebecca represents the best of what we try to produce at the Air Force Academy," Lt Gen Michelle D. Johnson, the Academy's Superintendent, said. "She completed a demanding four-year program in top-rate academics, athletics, and military training, earning honors as the top graduate for the class of 2015. That she's received the Mountain West Scholar-Athlete of the Year award indicates her character and commitment to excellence, both on and off the field. She achieved tremendous success at the Academy and there are incredible things ahead for her as a Rhodes Scholar and officer in the United States Air Force."
As a Rhodes Scholar, Esselstein will travel to Oxford this fall to pursue a PhD in astrophysics.
She is the seventh Air Force cadet-athlete to earn the conference's top academic award, joining Delavane Diaz (2003-04) of the volleyball team, Abbey Rogers (2008-09) of the women's gymnastics team, and John Dayton (2002-03), Matt Karmondy (2005-06), Blair Leake (2006-07) and Eric Robinson (2010-11) of the swimming and diving team.
Players Mentioned
