NEW YORK (Aug. 15, 2023) – Georgetown women’s soccer defender Julia Leas was named the BIG EAST Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the league announced on Tuesday. Leas will receive a $4,000 scholarship, which may be applied to graduate or professional studies. The selection was made by the Conference’s Academic Affairs Committee.
Graduating in the winter of 2022 with magna cum laude honors, Leas boasted a 3.940 GPA while majoring in psychology. A 2022 United Soccer Coaches First Team Scholar All-American, Leas most recently was a recipient of the BIG EAST Sport Excellence Award.
Leas is the third women’s scholar-athlete from Georgetown, as well as the second consecutive Hoya to garner the award. Last summer, cross-country standout Maggie Donahue captured the prestigious honor, while joining former cross country and track and field member Nicole Lee won in 2005. Leas is the 21st member of a men’s or women’s soccer squad to earn the prestigious honor. Alongside fellow Hoya Will Bowen, announced as the 2023 BIG EAST Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Tuesday, the duo becomes the fifth and sixth Georgetown student-athletes to claim the award and it marks the seventh time in league history that one school has swept the award.
In 2022, Leas helped lead the Hoyas to both a BIG EAST regular season title and conference championship, while unanimously being voted as the 2022 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year. The defender was also a semifinalist for the prestigious MAC Hermann Trophy.
The Conference also announced the female winners of the 2022-23 BIG EAST Institutional Scholar-Athlete Scholarships. Each institutional winner receives $2,000 toward graduate studies.
2022-23 BIG EAST Institutional Female Scholar-Athlete Awards
| School |
Name, Sport(s) |
| Butler |
Katie Soderstrom, Soccer |
| Connecticut |
Claire Jandewerth, Field Hockey |
| Creighton |
Malvika Shukla, Women’s Tennis |
| Georgetown |
Julia Leas, Soccer |
| Providence |
Halle Atkinson, Track & Field |
| St. John’s |
Tatyana McKenzie, Track & Field |
| Seton Hall |
Cornelia Jerresand, Swimming & Diving |
| Villanova |
Caroline Curnal, Lacrosse |
| Xavier |
Emma McMyler, Golf |
BIG EAST Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year
Year, Name, School, Sport
1985: Leigh Curl, Connecticut, Basketball
1986: Joanne Keehs, Villanova, Track & Field
1987: Karen Ferreria, Providence, Volleyball
1988: Noreen Coughlin, Pittsburgh, Volleyball
1989: Vicki Huber, Villanova, Track & Field
1990: Siobhan Gallagher, Providence, Track & Field
1991: Cami White, Providence, Field Hockey
1992: Kelly Larkin, Syracuse, Field Hockey
1993: Nnenna Lynch, Villanova, Track & Field
1994: Allison Williams, Pittsburgh, Track & Field
1995: Becky Spies, Villanova, Cross Country/Track & Field
1996: Najuma Fletcher, Pittsburgh, Track & Field
1997: Jen Renola, Notre Dame, Soccer
1998: Charity Wachera, West Virginia, Track & Field
1999: Gladys Ganiel, Providence, Cross Country/Track & Field
2000: Jenny Streiffer, Notre Dame, Soccer
2001: Ruth Riley, Notre Dame, Basketball
2002: Jarrah Myers, Notre Dame, Softball
2003: Erin McIntyre, Rutgers, Swimming & Diving
2004: Vanessa Pruzinsky, Notre Dame, Soccer
2005: Nicole Lee, Georgetown, Cross Country/Track & Field
2006: Kelly Harrigan, Rutgers, Swimming & Diving
2007: Jessica Javelet, Louisville, Field Hockey
2008: Jillian Drouin, Syracuse, Track & Field
2009: Jennifer Kleinhans, Connecticut, Field Hockey
2010: Meagan Dooley, Pittsburgh, Volleyball
2011: Maya Moore, Connecticut, Basketball
2012: Natalie Kulla, Marquette, Soccer
2013: Sam Roecker, Providence, Cross Country/Track & Field
2014: Emily Sisson, Providence, Cross Country/Track & Field
2015: Shelbey Manthorpe, Seton Hall, Volleyball
2016: Rachel Daly, St. John’s, Soccer
2017: Lauren Smith, Creighton, Volleyball
2018: Alexis Walkden, Seton Hall, Softball
2019: Taryn Kloth, Creighton, Volleyball
2021: Aspasia Avgeri
, DePaul, Tennis
2022: Maggie Donahue, Georgetown, Cross Country
2023: Julia Leas, Georgetown, Soccer
Note: In 2019-20, the BIG EAST did not present the Male or Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.