NEW YORK – Creighton senior volleyball standout Lauren Smith was named the BIG EAST Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Presented by Sunkist, the league announced on Wednesday. A middle blocker on the three-time BIG EAST Champion Bluejays, Smith will be awarded a $4,000 scholarship, which may be applied to graduate or professional studies. Smith is Creighton's first BIG EAST Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The selection was made by the Conference's Academic Affairs Committee.
Smith was also recognized as Creighton's female winner of the 2016-17 BIG EAST Institutional Scholar-Athlete Scholarships, Presented by Sunkist. Each institutional winner receives $2,000 toward graduate studies.