UW-Whitewater’s DeLuga Named Judy Kruckman Women’s Soccer Scholar-Athlete

UW-Whitewater’s DeLuga Named Judy Kruckman Women’s Soccer Scholar-Athlete

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MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Payton DeLuga has been selected the recipient of the 2018 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women’s Soccer Scholar-Athlete Award.
 
A senior from Alqonquin, Ill. (Dundee Crown), DeLuga is majoring in communication sciences and disorders with a minor in psychology and sustains a 3.803 grade point average. A year ago, she was named to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America Second Team and Scholar All-North/Central Region First Team. She is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and been recognized on UW-Whitewater’s Dean’s List numerous semesters.
 
DeLuga is a three-time All-WIAC First Team selection and helped the Warhawks win the WIAC Tournament title in 2015, and the regular-season and tournament crowns in 2016. In 2017, she earned a spot on the United Soccer Coaches All-America Third Team and the All-North Region First Team. During her career at UW-Whitewater, she was a starter for the 2015 squad that advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals, as well as the 2016 team that made the “Sweet 16” and the 2017 unit that earned a spot in the national tournament.
 
She is a member of the National Student Speech Hearing Language Association and participated in the Warhawk Leadership Academy in 2015 and 2016. DeLuga was a volunteer for HeadStart, Fairhaven Nursing Home and Reading with the Warhawks. She has worked as a peer tutor for English as a second language and the athletic management staff.
 
Also nominated for this year’s scholar-athlete award were:  UW-La Crosse’s Megan Carroll  (Sr., Mundelein, Ill.); UW-River Falls’ Katelyn Marthaler (Sr., Blaine, Minn.); and UW-Stout’s Sydney Kasper (Sr., Owatonna, Minn).

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Judy Kruckman, who served as Assistant Commissioner for the WIAC from 1996-98. Prior to this appointment, she was Commissioner of the Wisconsin Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WWIAC) from October, 1984 - September, 1996. Kruckman was the women’s athletics director at UW-Eau Claire from 1974-84, and one of the original representatives to the WWIAC when it formed in 1971.
 
In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average. In addition, she must be in her last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years.
 
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