Softball Greg Hartlage, Director of Media Relations
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Three Western Carolina University student-athletes received post-graduate scholarships from the Southern Conference as the league announced its award winners on Tuesday. Catamount softball seniors Savannah Baldwin and Jeralynn Wells both earned the SoCon’s Presidential Scholarship, while volleyball senior Eden Punch receiving the Bob McCloskey Insurance Scholarship.
WCU’s three scholarship recipients this year are the most for the Catamounts in any one year dating back to its first honoree in Susie Gardner (women’s cross country/track & field) back in 1992-93.
In addition to Punch, Wells, and Baldwin, the league’s other scholarship recipients include David Knight Scholarship recipient, Madeline Koury (Mercer); Dave Hart Scholarship recipient, Emil Westling (Furman); Bob McCloskey Insurance Scholarship recipients, Punch (WCU) and Samuel Barrow (Mercer); Dorothy Hicks Scholarship recipient, Chrissy Fleming (Furman); William V. Moore Scholarship presented by McMillan Pazdan Smith recipient, Callum Holland (Furman); and Southern Conference Presidential Scholarship recipients Lily Rathbun (Furman) and Lindsey Hollins (Wofford) joining WCU’s Wells and Baldwin.
Each recipient was nominated by their respective school with the winners selected by the Southern Conference Graduate Scholar Committee. Each worth $2,000, the scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who intend to pursue advanced degrees in graduate or professional school. The student-athletes are evaluated on academics, athletics, and community service.
The SoCon’s 2023-24 postgraduate award recipients will each be recognized as part of the SoCon’s annual Spring Meetings held in late May in Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Senior middle blocker Eden Punch boasts a 3.99 cumulative grade point average (GPA) as a psychology major with a minor in business administration. Over her four-year career in Cullowhee, Punch appeared in 86 matches for a combined 293 sets as she was a mainstay on the block for WCU, finishing her career among WCU’s all-time leaders. The Burlington, Ontario, Canada product was twice named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Week during her time in Cullowhee.
In 2023, Punch recorded multiple blocks in 25 of 28 matches and posted her season-high seven rejections against North Carolina Central on Sept. 9. On the offensive end, she posted her two best offensive performances in a WCU jersey with 11 kills against Samford (Nov. 4) and 12 kills at Wofford (Nov. 10). Punch finished her Western Carolina career 10th in blocks with 289, ninth in block assists tallying 225, and 12th in solo blocks with 64.
Punch was twice named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District team in both 2022-23 and 2023-24. During her academic career, she was also a thrice named to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll and received a SoCon Commissioner’s Medal with this year’s awards yet to be announced. Punch heads to Florida State University to practice law in the fall.
“Eden is the perfect example of what it means to be a Catamount student-athlete. I am so proud of her accomplishments here, and I know she will go on to do great things,” said WCU head volleyball coach Karen Glover.
Jeralynn Wells capped her Catamount career last week at the 2024 SoCon Softball Championships, collecting all-tournament team honors as Western Carolina advanced into Friday’s semifinal action. Wells carries a 3.87 GPA as a nutrition and dietetics major. She was twice selected to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll and twice received a SoCon Commissioner’s Medal, again with this year’s announcement yet to be made.
In her WCU career, Wells played in 179 games making 172 starts including 52 coming in 2024. She totaled 120 hits with a career-high 46 in the recently completed 2024 campaign. The outfielder closed her WCU career in multiple spots throughout the program’s career record book as she is tied for first in stolen base percentage (82.1) and tied for fifth with 23 stolen bases.
Wells put together her best power season in 2024, tying for a team-high with eight home runs. The Menifee, Calif., native added 13 stolen bases to her stat line to rank second on the team. She matched her career-high for hits in a game with three coming on three separate occasions last season, twice accomplishing the feat in back-to-back games against N.C. Central and Presbyterian.
Wells plans to enter the nutrition and dietetics graduate program at Western Carolina University.
Savannah Baldwin was likewise a part of WCU softball’s run into the SoCon tournament semifinals to cap her playing career. Baldwin holds an impressive 3.98 GPA while double majoring in psychology and integrated health sciences with a pre-professional concentration. Baldwin was awarded both SoCon Academic Honor Roll and Commissioner’s medals twice, while also being named to the WCU dean’s and chancellor’s list multiple times in her career.
A product of Bessemer City, N.C., Baldwin played in 168 career games with 149 total starts. She was one of two players for Western Carolina to start all 53 games in the 2024 season where she finished among the team leaders with 52 base hits including 12 doubles and eight home runs. She scored 24 runs while driving in 39.
Baldwin posted her first career multi-homer game during a run-rule victory over N.C. Central. She was second on the squad with 12 multi-hit games. In her career in Cullowhee, she finished with 105 hits.
Baldwin plans to enter the physical therapy program at East Carolina University.
“I think Savannah and Jeralynn epitomize the saying “How you do anything, is how you do everything.” Everyone has come to expect the excellence of JJ and Savannah’s on-field performances. They both have a passion for the game and a passion for life as their academic performances and achievements are no different. I can’t think of two people more deserving of this honor.” said Jim Clift, WCU softball head coach.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount volleyball & softball and WCU Athletics through social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/CatamountSports), Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountSB,@CatamountVB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts, catamountsb, catamountvb), or go to www.CatamountSports.com.
Western Carolina’s Southern Conference Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients:
2023-24: Eden Punch (Volleyball) – Bob McCloskey Insurance Scholarship / Savannah Baldwin & Jeralynn Wells (Softball) – Southern Conference Presidential Scholarship
2022-23: Samantha Reele (Softball) – Southern Conference Presidential Scholarship
2021-22: Carter Unger (Women’s Track & Field) – Southern Conference Presidential Scholarship
2021-22: Clay Summers (Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field) – Southern Conference Presidential Scholarship
2020-21: Victoria Solheim (Women’s Track & Field) – William V. Moore Scholarship presented by McMillan Pazdan Smith
2019-20: Emily Zipay (Women’s Soccer) – Southern Conference Presidential Scholarship
2018-19: Savanah Taranto (Women’s Tennis) – Southern Conference Presidential Scholarship
2017-18: Kassandra Flores (Softball) – Sports Medicine Institute Scholarship presented by Spartanburg Regional Health System
2015-16: Taylor Sigmon (Softball) – Dorothy Hicks Scholarship
2014-15: Makensey Campbell (Women’s Basketball) – William V. Moore Scholarship presented by McMillan Pazdan Smith
2014-15: Aleshia Reese (Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field) – Southern Conference Presidential Scholarship
2014-15: K.P Hicks (Football) – Mike Wood Scholarship
2013-14: Brittany Gendron (Women’s Soccer) – David Knight Scholarship
2013-14: Alex Abraham (Women’s Basketball) – Bob McCloskey Insurance Scholarship
2012-13: Samantha Hodge (Women’s Soccer) – William V. Moore Scholarship presented by McMillan Pazdan Smith
2009-10: David Gift (Men’s Track & Field) – Bob McCloskey Insurance Scholarship
2005-06: Emily Pierce (Women’s Soccer) – David Knight Scholarship
2004-05: Rans Brempong (Men’s Basketball) – Mike Wood Foundation Scholarship
2003-04: Emre Atsur (Men’s Basketball) – Mike Wood Foundation Scholarship
2003-04: Yoneko Allen (Women’s Basketball) – Mike Wood Foundation Scholarship
1999-2000: Ramsey Herron (Volleyball) – Dorothy Hicks Scholarship
1995-96: Kristin Allen (Volleyball) – Dorothy Hicks Scholarship
1992-93: Susie Gardner (Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field) – Dorothy Hicks Scholarship
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