Jacqueline Cako named Pac-12 women's tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Arizona State's Jacqueline Cako was named the Pac-12 Women’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the Conference office announced on Saturday at the Pac-12 Women’s Tennis Championship. The award, which is presented in each of the 22 sports the Conference sponsors, was established to honor collegiate student-athletes that are standouts both academically and in their sports discipline.

Cako graduated in three years from the Barrett Honors College with a degree in biological sciences. She tallied a 3.68 GPA. She plans to attend medical school after playing in the pro circuit. Cako was a second-team Pac-12 All-Academic in 2012. She was named to the ITA All-Academic Scholar in 2011 and 2012.

The Brier, Wash., native, is a two-time All-American for Arizona State in both 2011 and 2012. She is the first ASU tennis player to earn back-to-back All-American singles honors since Adira Engel from 2001-03. Cako is a two-time All-Pac-12 second team honoree. She was the runner-up at the ITA All-American Championships in 2011. Cako is currently ranked No. 21 in singles and 28th when paired with teammate Nicole Smith in Doubles.

In order to be eligible for the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, student-athletes must be a senior (in athletics eligibility) on track to receive a degree, have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, participate in at least 50% of the scheduled contests in the sport and have a minimum of one year in residence at the institution. Each Pac-12 institution may nominate one individual per sport, and the winners are selected by a committee of Pac-12 staff members at the conclusion of each sport’s regular season. The athletic accomplishments of the nominees are a consideration in the voting for the award.

A Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be named in each of the Pac-12’s 22 sponsored sports: baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, football, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, men’s rowing, women’s rowing, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, softball, men’s swimming & diving, women’s swimming & diving, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s track & field, women’s track & field, women’s volleyball, and wrestling.

The Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards were established during the 2007-08 academic year. For more information please visit www.pac-12.org