FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 05/01/2008

Geisert/Lehman Awards Presented To Three BC Athletes

BRIDGEWATER, Va. — Bridgewater College recognized three outstanding athletes during the annual Awards Convocation on April 29. The Geisert Scholar-Athlete Awards were presented to seniors Laura Whitney Barry and Jefferson W. Highfill Jr., and senior Caitlin Gordon received the Harold and Carol Lehman Sportsmanship Award.

The Geisert Awards, named in honor of the former president of Bridgewater College and his late wife, Wayne F. and Maurine Geisert, are presented each spring to a male and female student who has demonstrated intercollegiate athletic achievement, sportsmanship and academic excellence. Geisert was president of the college from 1964 to 1994.

Barry, who received the 2008 female Geisert Scholar-Athlete Award, is a 2004 graduate of Douglas S. Freeman High School. A psychology major with a minor in philosophy and religion, she is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Barry of Richmond, Va.

She is a four-year member of the softball team and served as a captain the past two years. In 2007, Barry was named to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Atlantic Region first team and to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-American third team at catcher. She also was named to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) first team. As a junior, Barry was selected for the VaSID All-State College Division Softball first team and to the All-ODAC first team.

Barry is treasurer of the Civil War Club and serves as president of Common Ground, a campus organization that promotes diversity awareness and tolerance through educational and service activities.

Highfill, the 2008 male award recipient, is a 2004 graduate of William Byrd High School. A mathematics major with a minor in business administration, he is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Highfill of Roanoke, Va.

He is a member of the Philomathes Society, Bridgewater's scholastic honor society, and Alpha Chi, a national scholastic honor society. He serves on the College's Athletic Advisory Committee and the Student Athletic Advisory Committee. He is a member of the Mathematical Association of America and was selected for the 2008 edition of Who's Who Among Students in American Univer

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sities and Colleges. As a junior, Highfill was a student representative on the College's Academic Dean Search Committee. He also volunteered with the Mountain View Elementary Character Counts program.

As quarterback of the football team, Highfill earned many honors and awards. In both his junior and senior years, he was named the ODAC Scholar Athlete of the Year. He also received All-ODAC honorable mention both years. As a senior he was named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American second team; as a junior he was a first team selection. As a junior and senior, Highfill was named to the ESPN the Magazine District III College Division Football All-Academic first team. In addition, he was a Draddy Trophy semifinalist and received an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. In April, he was selected for the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society.

Gordon received the Harold and Carol Lehman Sportsmanship Award given to a male or female student who demonstrates respect, fairness, civility, honesty and responsibility before, during and after athletic contests. Harold, a member of the class of 1956, and his wife Carol live in Potomac Falls, Va.

Gordon is a 2004 graduate of Loudoun Valley High School in Purcellville, Va. A health and exercise science major with a minor in nutrition and wellness, she is the daughter of Kevin and Alice Gordon of Hamilton, Va.

A four-year member of the women's soccer team, Gordon has served as a captain for the past two years. As a junior and senior, she received All-ODAC honorable mention.

All three scholar-athletes will graduate on May 11.

Bridgewater College, a private, four-year liberal arts college, enrolls more than 1,500 students. Founded in 1880 and located in the Central Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, it was the state's first private, coeducational senior college.

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