NEW YORK (Aug. 27, 2024) – 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.
After graduating with an undergraduate degree in the winter of 2022 with magna cum laude honors and a near perfect 3.940 GPA, Leas maintained a 4.0 GPA with a graduate degree in biomedical sci policy and advocacy.
Leas is the first student-athlete in BIG EAST history to capture the award in back-to-back seasons, dating back to the inaugural recipient Leigh Curl of UConn in 1985. Leas became the 21st member of a men’s or women’s soccer squad to earn the prestigious honor last season. Alongside fellow Hoya Parker Stokes, announced as the 2023 BIG EAST Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Tuesday, the duo becomes the seventh and eighth Georgetown student-athletes award winners and it marks the eighth time in league history that one school has swept the award.
In 2023, Leas helped lead the Hoyas to both a BIG EAST regular season title and conference championship, while also being voted as the 2023 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 2023-24 BIG EAST Institutional Scholar-Athlete Scholarships. Each institutional winner receives $2,000 toward graduate studies.
2023-24 BIG EAST Institutional Female Scholar-Athlete Awards
| School |
Name, Sport(s) |
| Butler |
Leah Rubino, Lacrosse |
| Connecticut |
Landyn White, Lacrosse |
| Creighton |
Malvika Shukla, Tennis |
DePaul
Georgetown
Marquette |
Eleanor Nobbs, Tennis
Julia Leas, Soccer
Faith Chmielewski, Lacrosse |
| Providence |
Lillian Tuck, Cross Country |
| St. John’s |
Jessica Garziano, Soccer |
| Seton Hall |
Josephine McCartney, Swimming & Diving |
| Villanova |
Landyn White, Lacrosse |
| Xavier |
Imani Graham, Tennis |
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
2024: 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.