June 22, 2011

STANFORD, Calif. -- - Four Stanford University student-athletes - Alex Clayton (men's tennis), Sarah Flynn (lacrosse), Greg Hirshman (men's tennis) and Kate Niehaus (track and field) - were awarded NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships for their outstanding academic and athletic achievements.

A two-time Pac-10 All-Academic honoree as a psychology major, Clayton led the Cardinal to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including a quarterfinal finish in 2011. He posted a 25-11 overall record, including an 18-6 mark in duals, playing primarily in the No.3 position. After being named the ITA's Rookie of the Year in 2008 and earning All-America accolades in each of his first two seasons, Clayton received the ITA/Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship and the ITA/Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award during his junior season.

Flynn captained Stanford's lacrosse team to a No. 7 national ranking this past spring, as the Cardinal earned its fourth straight MPSF title and its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. She led the team with 49 goals and ended her career as Stanford's all-time leading scorer with 145. A human biology major, Flynn earned CoSIDA/ESPN Academic All-District honors this season and also earned the prestigious Donald Kennedy Award, which is presented to a Stanford student-athlete who best exhibits the combination of academics, athletics and a commitment to community service.

Hirshman was a regular in Stanford's lineup each of the last two seasons, posting a combined record of 26-5 in dual matches. An economics major with a secondary major in math, the two-time Pac-10 All-Academic first team honoree is the founder of The Cardinal Principle, a quarterly campus publication written by students with the intention to stimulate political debate among the student body. Two of Hirshman's interview subjects were former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Steve Westly, California Campaign C-Chair for Obama for America. He will begin his postgraduate studies next year at the London School of Economics.

Niehaus, a two-time qualifier for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 10,000 meters, ran a career best time of 33:48.72 in the event during the 2011 Stanford Invitational, a mark that ranks ninth in school history. She was also a member of Stanford's 2006 and '07 NCAA champion cross-country teams. A bioengineering major, Niehaus was a four time Pac-10 All-Academic first team selection in track.

Clayton, Flynn, Hirshman and Niehuas join Chase Beeler (football), Xanthe Travlos (field hockey), Sage Wright (men's water polo) and Liz Smith (women's swimming & diving) to give Stanford eight student-athletes who earned NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships this year.