Congrats To Jared Karstetter, Et Al ... But C'mon Pac-12!

Congratulations are in order for four WSU student-athletes who were awarded postgraduate scholarships by the Pac-12 today: Jared Karstetter (football), Tiara Pittman (soccer), Jake Baertlein (track) and Rosie Tarnowski (basketball).

For their academic excellence and contributions to the profile of the conference, their cash award is ...

$3,000.

Now, far be it from me to turn my nose up at three grand. And I'm sure all of these young men and women feel the same way.

But let's be honest: That amounts to little more than a "way to go!" and a high five on the way out the door when you compare that to the total cost of most graduate programs. Karstetter is planning on dental school; the average cost of dental school at a public institution is roughly $150,000, and private schools can be twice that.

The Pac-12 boasted in its news release, "Since the program began in 1999, the Pac-12 has awarded over $1.5 million for postgraduate study." And I'm thinking ... that's less than $110,000 a year. The total this year, with 48 winners, is $144,000. How many conference employees make more than that in a year? Larry Scott made just under $2 million in 2010.

Scott is absolutely worth that money. But one would think a conference that just signed a $3 billion media rights deal could come up with a little more than $144,000 to honor its brightest minds.

The conference's full release, complete with a list of winners, is after the jump.

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - Pac-12 Conference Commissioner Larry Scott announced the 48 outstanding Pac-12 student-athletes who have been named recipients of Pac-12 Postgraduate Scholarships for the 2011-12 academic year. These $3,000 awards go to student-athletes with a minimum 3.0 grade point average who have also demonstrated a commitment to continuing education, campus and community involvement, and leadership. Since the program began in 1999, the Pac-12 has awarded over $1.5 million for postgraduate study.

To be selected for a Pac-12 Postgraduate Scholarship, a student-athlete must:

• Have an overall undergraduate minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 (based on a 4.00 scale) or its equivalent.

• Be in his/her final season of intercollegiate athletics eligibility in all sports OR be in his/her final year of undergraduate studies, having exhausted athletics eligibility in all sports. The student-athlete will be evaluated on the basis of all academic work completed at time of selection.

• Have performed with distinction as a member of a varsity team. The degree of the student-athlete's athletic achievement will be weighed at least equally with the degree of academic performance.

• Intend to continue academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree as a full-time student in a graduate or professional program at an accredited institution, or in a postgraduate program for which an undergraduate degree is required for admission.

• Have behaved, both on and off the field, in a manner that has brought credit to the student-athlete, the institution and intercollegiate athletics.

In 1999, the Pac-12 Conference created a postgraduate scholarship program to honor outstanding student-athletes from its member institutions who also are outstanding scholars. Each Pac-12 institution selects four student-athlete recipients, two men and two women, through its institutional selection process.

Below is the lists of the 2011-12 recipients by institution.

2011-12 Pac-12 Postgraduate Scholarship Winners

Institution Name Sport

Arizona Trace Biskin Football

Rebecca Cardenas Gymnastics

Andy Guerra Diving

Ainsley Oliver Diving

Arizona State Hillary Bach Softball

Cameron Kastl Football

John Kline Track & Field

Cj Navarro Track & Field

California Maxime Chevee Cross Country/Track & Field

Shelley Harper Swimming

Jana Juricova Tennis

Giorgio Tavecchio Football

Colorado Katie Dreher Track & field

Caroline Danneberg Soccer

Trey Eckloff Basketball

Tony Poremba Football

Oregon Bronwyn Crossman Track & field

Amanda Johnson Basketball

David Paulson Football

Brian Schaudt Track & field

Oregon State Meghan Leineweber Rowing

Leslie Mak Gymnastics

Brian Ramsey Soccer

Leslie Urban Rowing

Stanford Clayton Holz Soccer

Amaechi Morton Track & Field

Nneka Ogwumike Basketball

Betsy Webb Swimming

UCLA Charney Burk Soccer

Brooke Finley Softball

Nick Meister Tennis

Mark Weber Track & Field

USC Brianna Gilbreath Basketball

Daniel Nguyen Tennis

Amanda Smith Swimming

Greg Woodburn Track

Utah Alyssa Abbot Track & Field

Eric Bonicelli Swimming

Hannah Caron Swimming

Torjus Krogdahl Skiing

Washington Sarah Martinez Soccer

Sam Osjerkis Crew

Veronica Tamsitt Crew

Gregory Walker Football

Washington State Jake Baertlein Track & Field

Jared Karstetter Football

Tiara Pittman Soccer

Rosemarie Tarnowski Basketball