Texas Tech University Athletics
Neill, Gibbs Earn Big 12 Postgraduate Scholarships
June 01, 2011 | Football
June 1, 2011
LUBBOCK, Texas - David Neill (Football) and Jessica Gibbs (Track and Field) represented Texas Tech University as two of the 24 Big 12 student-athletes who have been selected to receive the 2010-11 Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarships, the conference office announced today.
Neill (Flower Mound, Texas) is a two-year letterwinner with the Red Raider football program and is an exercise sports science major. He was selected first team All-Big 12 Academic this past season while playing in 12 games in 2010, primarily on special teams.
Gibbs (Tuscola, Texas) is a senior who has lettered three years while competing in the pole vault for the women's track and field program. An exercise sports science major, Gibbs posted a season-best 12'8" in the pole vault at the UTEP Invite on March 26.
The scholarships are named in honor of the late Dr. Prentice Gautt, a former Big 12 Conference staff member and student services' pioneer who passed away in March 2005. The list of all-time recipients has grown to 273 since the inception of the league in 1996-97. Starting in 2002-03, additional funding increased scholarship award winners to two per member institution.
To date the Big 12 has provided $1,835,600 for postgraduate education. The individual grants began at $2,500 in 1996-97, were raised to $5,000 in 1999, increased to $6,900 for 2004-05 and climbed to $7,500 in 2006-07.
Criteria for the awards includes a cumulative grade point average of 3.500 on a 4.000 scale, participation in at least two years of intercollegiate athletics at the nominee's respective institution and completion of athletics' eligibility. The student-athletes also must graduate from their respective member institutions within 15 months of their selection for a postgraduate scholarship and are expected to enroll in graduate/professional schools within two years of graduation. Three faculty representatives, one senior woman administrator and one director of athletics form the selection panel for the awards.
