May 24, 2010

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Samford baseball player Gary Cramer and volleyball player Hillary Fountain were two of the 24 recipients of the Coleman Lew Leadership Awards, announced by the Southern Conference and Coleman Lew & Associates, Inc., on Monday.

Both Cramer and Fountain have earned cumulative grade-point averages of over 3.5. Cramer, a native of Hoover, Ala., is a sports medicine major, while Fountain, from Holland, Ohio, is majoring in early childhood education.

Cramer, who is currently a junior on the Samford baseball team serving as the team's main designated hitter, has been named to the school's Dean's List for Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Fall 2009 and Spring 2010. He was also named to the Southern Conference's Academic Honor Roll in 2008-09 and the Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll in 2007-08.

Cramer was named to the Beeson Exceptional Scholars Program at Samford. He has also served at Samford on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and the NCAA Recertification Sub-Committee.

On the field, Cramer has had his best season in 2010. Entering this week's SoCon Tournament, he is batting .344 with a home run and 17 RBI in 35 games, including 22 starts at designated hitter.

Fountain, who finished her junior season in the fall of 2009, has served as one of the volleyball team's captains in each of the last two seasons. She has been named to Samford's Dean's List for Fall 2007, Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2009 and Spring 2010. Fountain was also named to the SoCon's 2008 and 2009 Fall Academic All-Conference teams.

Fountain has earned several accolades on the court as well. She was named first-team All-SoCon in 2008. She was also named to the 2007 OVC All-Newcomer team following a stellar freshman season.

As a junior in 2009, Fountain led Samford with 940 assists. She also had 115 kills and she ranked second on the team with 247 digs. Fountain has helped lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back SoCon North Division championships.

The Coleman Lew Leadership Award recognizes student-athletes from each of the Southern Conference's 12 member institutions. Coaches, faculty athletic representatives and senior woman administrators nominate prospective candidates based on leadership, academic excellence and athletic achievement in both the college environment and the community. Athletic directors and representatives from Coleman Lew & Associates conducted one-on-one interviews with the finalists before determining the award winners.

"Coleman Lew & Associate has been a valued partner for the past five years and these awards are testimony to their commitment to the Southern Conference," SoCon Commissioner John Iamarino said. "The recipients are among the best and brightest student-athletes to be found in a member institution's program."

Recipients will be recognized at the Southern Conference Honors Dinner on Tuesday, June 1 at the Crowne Plaza Resort in Hilton Head, S.C.