The WNMU Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Honor Student-Athletes have been selected for the 2009-2010 school year. This year's WNMU recipients are women's golfer Carissa Schwalm (Las Cruces, NM, Mayfield High School) and men's golfer Scott Crichton (Dalgety Bay, Scotland, Inverkeithing High School).

To be eligible for the RMAC Honor Student-Athlete award, individuals must be an athlete in one of the conference sponsored championship sports; carry at least a 3.30 grade point average (GPA); be a starter or reserve on their respective team; be of good character and must have participated at the active member institution for two (2) or more seasons. True freshmen and first year transfers are not eligible for this award.

WNMU swept both the RMAC Men's and Women's Academic Golfer of the Year awards because of Schwalm and Crichton. Schwalm was placed on the RMAC Third Team in April and selected as the RMAC Golfer of the Week once. She averaged 81.2 per round and finished in the top 10 four different times this year.

Schwalm's best performance was on her home course in February. She posted a 78 and then a 76 at the Cactus Thaw to finish tied for second. She had a nearly impressive score at the Grand Canyon University Spring Invitational in early April. Schwalm matched her career best round of 76 at the event and left the day tied for second place. She went on to shoot 80 in round two and landed tied for the 10th spot with teammate Faylyn Beyale (Fruitland, NM/Kirtland Central High School) in the 85-player event. Their 156 score was 12 over par at the Palm Valley Golf Course.

Crichton has been riddled with awards over the last few weeks. Most recently, besides the RMAC Men's Academic Golfer of the Year honor, he was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American Third Team. He also was listed on the GCAA All-American Second Team, NGCA Ping All-Central Region Team, All-RMAC Second Team, and RMAC Golfer of the Week three separate times.

Crichton also was awarded the NCAA Degree Completion Award, which takes into account athletic and academic accomplishments. He is the first Mustang to receive this award. Crichton also received the RMAC Degree Completion Award.

The Scotsman averaged 72.2 per round and finished in the top 10 in the last five of six competitions this past season. Crichton's best finish came at the Mustang Intercollegiate in the end of March. He broke his individual low scoring record in the opening round with a six-under par 66 around UNM's challenging Championship Course. That round was also the low individual round during the six years the tournament has been played at UNM. He finished the meet shooting 176 (-4), which was the best marking out of 54 golfers. Crichton shot a 66, 38, and 72 in the 45-hole, three round meet. He also helped the Mustangs to a first place team finish of 730.

Crichton wrapped up a stellar career for WNMU with a career 74.0 scoring average in 123 tournament rounds. He leads in virtually every scoring category while maintaining a 3.95 GPA in cell and molecular biology.

Click here to view other RMAC Honor Student-Athlete recipients.