James Bayer Memorial Scholarship Award nominee: Katie Ross, Acadia women's soccer & basketball

Position: Center Midfielder/Guard
Height: 5'11
Hometown: Bedford, N.S.
Year of eligibility: Third
Academic program: Bachelor of kinetics

Acadia Athletics has named dual-sport student-athlete Katie Ross the nominee for the 2016 James Bayer Memorial Award.

Ross is a two-time academic all-Canadian, on pace to repeat the feat for a third consecutive year. In 2015, she was the recipient of the Governor General Medal. Following her 2014-15 sophomore season, Ross was selected as one of two Atlantic conference members of the CIS Top Eight Academic All-Canadians. She is also the recipient of the International Baccalaureate Scholarship as well as the Class of 1937 Scholarship.

On the soccer pitch, Ross played in all 13 games for the Axewomen, scoring four goals and adding four assists this regular season. She then led Acadia to the Subway AUS Women's Soccer Championship final, scoring two of the Axewomen's three goals in a 3-0 semifinal win over StFX in the semifinals. The team would finish as championship runners up after a hard-fought 1-0 loss to Cape Breton in the final.

Ross played in 18 games for the Axewomen basketball team this regular season and started in 13 of them. She posted an average of 7.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1 steal per game, helping Acadia to a second-place finish in the AUS regular season standings.

Ross is also heavily involved in the community. She volunteers her time with an array of initiatives, including the Acadia S.M.I.L.E. program (Sensory Motor Instructional Learning Experience), working with children with autism to develop motor, cognitive and social learning skills. She is also a volunteer with the Annapolis Valley Cardian Rehabilitation Centre and the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life, among several other initiatives.

"Amongst the many athletes and students I am in contact with, there are few more impressive than Katie Ross with regards to the standards she sets and the variety of roles she takes within the team, at Acadia, and in the greater community," said Axewomen soccer head coach Amit Batra. "Katie's presence and achievements merit serious consideration as a James Bayer nominee and I am honoured to be able to support her in this."