Five Flashes Named MAC Distinguished Scholar Athletes
1/3/2019 9:12:00 PM | Field Hockey, Football, General, Women's Soccer, Women's Volleyball
CLEVELAND - Five Golden Flashes from four Kent State teams were recently named Mid-American Conference Distinguished Scholar Athletes.  In its fifth year, The Distinguished Scholar Athlete award represents the 'best of the best' as voted on by faculty athletic representatives at MAC institutions, chosen from fall sport Academic All-MAC Teams.
Soccer's Paige Culver (Oakville, Ontario) and Vital Kats (Toronto, Ontario) along with field hockey's Jessica Apelt (Hilliard, Ohio), football's Matt Bahr (Kenton, Ohio) and volleyball's Amy Kober (Grand Haven, Mich.) all earned the elite honor.
Culver maintains a 3.579 grade point average as a senior finance major.  In December, she was named to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region Team for the second straight season.  Culver's 80 career starts are the second most in program history.  She is a four-year All-MAC selection, including three first team honors.
A sophomore business management major, Kats boasts a 3.897 GPA.  This past season she earned spots on the United Soccer Coaches All-Region First Team and the All-MAC First Team.  Kats led the Golden Flashes in goals (8) and assists (9).  Her efforts in the classroom were also recognized by CoSIDA on the Academic All-District Team.
Apelt, holds a 3.69 GPA as a senior physical therapy major.  She started 19 games for the Flashes in 2018, recording two goals and an assist.  Last year, Apelt was named to the NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad.  She is a two-year member of the Academic All-MAC Team.
Bahr became a three-time Distinguished Scholar Athlete.  He carried a 3.89 GPA as an undergraduate in criminal justice.  Bahr recently completed a master's degree in criminology with a 3.96 GPA.  Named to Phil Steele's All-MAC Third Team, he was a Wuerffel Trophy semifinalist and a Campbell Trophy semifinalist.
Kober carries a 3.923 GPA as a senior public health major.  She ranked second on the team with 221 kills and her 44 blocks ranked third.  A four-year letterwinner, Kober was also recognized as a College Champion in the Community by Our Lady of the Wayside in Cleveland.
Later this winter and spring, the MAC will announce the Distinguished Scholar Athletes from the remaining 16 winter and spring sports sponsored by the conference.
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