Bendel and Lacey Win 2021-22 BIG EAST Institutional Scholar-Athlete Awards
NEW YORK – Marquette University Athletes Daniel Bendel of the men’s athletics team and Bonnie Lacey of the women’s soccer team have been announced as the winners of Marquette’s 2021-22 BIG EAST Conference Men’s and Women’s Institutional Award.
Bendel graduated cum laude with a degree in biomedical sciences with a minor in psychology and is working on his doctorate in physical therapy. The Appleton native received All-BIG EAST honors in the outdoor season at the 2022 Conference Championships. Bendel was named to the 2021-22 BIG EAST Academic Team, making it the fifth time that he receives this honor. He is a four-time member of the AD Honor Roll and Dean’s List and a member of Chi Alpha Sigma. The track and field team captain has been a leader of the Student-Athlete Leadership Institute, a MAGIS mentor, and a volunteer at a nursing home. He was also the chief fundraising coordinator for Massage-A-Thon.
Lacey graduated with honors with a degree in biomedical sciences and plans to pursue her doctorate in physical therapy. She started in all 17 United games at the backline last season. The Sheboygan Falls native is a Dean’s List pick, a four-time BIG EAST All-Academic pick, and a member of Chi Alpha Sigma. She has been actively involved as a peer leader for the Student-Athlete Leadership Institute, SHAPE, and a MAGIS mentor. Lacey also traveled to New Orleans with the MARDI GRAS project to pursue infrastructure repairs after Hurricane Katrina and work on social justice and access issues.
Each institutional winner receives $2,000 for their graduate studies.
Twenty student-athletes (one male and one female from each of the 10 BIG EAST member institutions) were named recipients of the BIG EAST Institutional Scholar-Athlete Award.
Georgetown men’s soccer player Dante Polvara and cross-country runner Maggie Donahue were named BIG EAST Scholar-Athletes of the Year and awarded a $4,000 scholarship.
2021-22 BIG EAST Institutional Male Scholar-Athlete Awards
| School | Name, Sport(s) |
| Butler | Barry Keane, cross country |
| Creighton | Alan Roden, baseball |
| From Paul | Vito Tonejc, Tennis |
| georgetown | Dante PolvaraFootball |
| Marquette | Daniel BendelOutdoor athletics |
| Providence | Marcelo Rocha, cross country |
| St. John’s | Brandon KnappFootball |
| Seton Hall | Luca DahnFootball |
| Villanova | Matthew Campbell, Lacrosse |
2021-22 BIG EAST Institutional Female Scholar-Athlete Awards
| School | Name, Sport(s) |
| Butler | Katie Soderstrom, soccer |
| UConn | Julia Ozimek, Lacrosse |
| Creighton | Jaela Zimmerman, volleyball |
| From Paul | Kiersten Walker, Athletics |
| georgetown | Maggie Donahue, cross country |
| Marquette | Bonnie LaceySoccer |
| Providence | Christina RodgersFootball |
| St. John’s | Leah Anderson, athletics |
| Seton Room | Lauren Ginefra, cross country |
| Villanova | McKenna Keegan, Indoor Athletics |
| xavier | Olivia JenkinsFootball |