RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Henderson State sophomore golfer Allie Bianchi added another accolade to her postseason resume on Wednesday afternoon when she was named the Great American Conference's 2021 Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
 
The prestigious honor comes just one week after Bianchi was recognized as an All-American Scholar by the Women's Golf Coaches Association and an Academic All-District honoree by CoSIDA. She is the first Reddie to ever be named Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the GAC and is the first Henderson State student-athlete to win one of the league's year-end awards since Kevin Rodgers in 2013-14.
 
Bianchi was terrific on the course this season for the Reddies. The WGCA All-Region selection and All-GAC Second Teamer led the 2021 GAC Champion Henderson State women's golf team with four Top-5 finishes on the year. Bianchi also became only the second Reddie ever to qualify as an individual for the NCAA Division II National Championships after coming in fourth place at the Central/Midwest Regional in Kansas City.
 
In addition to her strong play, the Finance major from Allen, Texas, held a perfect 4.0 grade point average and received the Beau and Haley Baker Financial Planning Award from Henderson State in April.
 
"Being named the 2021 GAC Female Scholar-Athlete [of the Year] is a huge honor and is not something I take lightly," Bianchi said. "To receive it this year may be different than others for me because I feel that I have worked endlessly this past year through several heavy loads of classes and an even more jam-packed season. My teammates are a huge reminder of why I push myself the way I do, and as a team, we truly embrace the competitive culture as a student and as an athlete. Giving 110% effort in all of my classes and in every practice is always my main focus."
 
Bianchi stands a chance to add to her long list accolades for 2020-21 with a potential Academic All-America nod from CoSIDA. The first, second and third teams will be announced in early August.