Falcon pitcher Rose Tusa has been named the WIAC's softball Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete for the 2012 season.

Tusa has had a successful career at UWRF in both the classroom and on the diamond.

In 2011 she was named the WIAC Pitcher of the Year after helping the Falcons win the conference regular season and tournament championships. She has been named to the All-WIAC first teams in 2010 and 2011 and earned honorable mention in 2009. Tusa has been named the WIAC Pitcher of the Week four times in her career, including twice this year. She holds the UWRF career () and season () strike out record. Tusa is also in the top 10 of several WIAC season and career pitching records. In 2011 she was named the team's Most Valuable Player and she was named to the NCAA All-Regional team. In 2009 she was named the team's Most Improved Player. In 2011 Tusa was named to the NCFA All-Great Lakes Region first team. Earlier this month she was named the UWRF Female Athlete of the Year. 

Tusa's accomplishments in the classroom are just as impressive. She has been named to the UWRF Dean's List seven times and was named the UWRF Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2010-11. She has earned several scholarships and will graduate with Magna Cum Laude honors. In 2011 she was named to the second CoSIDA All-District V Academic team. She has been a member of the UWRF Geological Society since 2009 and has been involved in the SAAC Treak or Treat for Canned Goods event. She was nominated for this year's Chancellor's Award and was a volunteer during the team's Feed My Starving Children event last November. This spring semester she worked as an honors seminar instructor in Controversial Issues. She was responsible for all facets of teaching the one-credit seminar. Tusa also has senior research experience and has worked as a USGS research assistant for the past two years. 

Tusa has a 3.87 cumulative grade point average. She is majoring in geology with a minor in math.

"Rose Tusa exemplifies what it means to be a scholar-athlete," said Falcon Coach Faye Perkins. "Not only is she an outstanding athlete--verified by all her awards and records at UWRF--but she is also dedicated to working diligently in the classroom--as witnessed by her exceptional GPA of 3.87.  On the same evening, May 2, Rose was named the Outstanding Geology Student and the Top UWRF Female Athlete--a true blending of both scholar and athlete at a very high level of success in both areas. She didn't get either of these awards by luck--she got them through hard work, dedication, and a desire to succeed in whatever she does. According to the NCAA website (www.collegestudentathletes.com), "Division III is where the true student-athlete studies and competes. Competing at a quality academic Division III institution that cares equally for it's academics and athletics is the purest example of being a college student-athlete."  Rose Tusa is the "poster child" for what it means to be a true student-athlete."

Tusa is the fifth Falcon to earn this prestigious WIAC award. Previous winners include; Kim Zarling (1991), Amy Stenson (1996), Amy Brooke (2003) and Anna Poulter (2004). 

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Judy Kruckman who served as Assistant Commissioner for the WIAC from 1996-98. Prior to this appointment, she functioned as Commissioner of the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from October, 1984 - September, 1996.

In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average. In addition, she must be in her last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years.