May 4, 2015
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame senior student-athletes Ashley Armstrong (women’s golf) and Peter Schneider (hockey) recently were named the 2015 recipients of the Monogram Club postgraduate scholarships.
The announcement was made during the athletic department’s 14th annual O.S.C.A.R.S. (Outstanding Student-Athletes Celebrating Achievement & Recognition Showcase) gala, which was held inside Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center.
This marked the seventh year the Monogram Club awarded a postgraduate scholarship to one male and one female student-athlete. In recognition of outstanding academic achievement, service, leadership, and potential for success in postgraduate study, each individual receives a one-time, nonrenewable grant of $5,000 to attend graduate school.
Armstrong (Flossmoor, Illinois) will graduate later this month from the College of Engineering with a degree in mechanical engineering. A two-time captain, she was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Academic Team and the Women’s Golf Coaches Association Scholar All-America Team as a junior. Armstrong has earned Academic All-America honors in both 2013 (third team) and 2014 (second team).
“This is humbling and a huge honor to receive this award amongst such an incredible group of student-athletes,” Armstrong said. “I am very grateful that I have been able to pursue my interests in academics and athletics at one of the most incredible institutions in the world. All thanks to my coaches, Coach Kyle (Demeter) and Coach (Susan) Holt, who recruited me and trusted me five years ago. I would like to thank them for always being supportive through my busy school schedule and my stupid injuries, like when I fell down the stairs while texting and preceded to sprain my ankle.
“I have also been fortunate enough to share this student-athlete experience with my teammates, who are my best friends and friends I will keep for the rest of my life. They have been such an amazing support group and I could not have done this without them. I also am so thankful for my loving parents. My mom has been to every college event I have ever played in and I can’t thank them enough for all they have done for me. I am also very thankful for the constant encouragement and support I have received on both sides of the student-athlete spectrum, something I feel is very unique at Notre Dame. To receive this award from this place that I love is an honor I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
Armstrong currently ranks third in school history with a 74.94 career stroke average and she has posted five top-five and nine top-10 finishes. Armstrong has helped her team to four consecutive NCAA Regional appearances (2012-15) and the 2013 BIG EAST Conference title. As a freshman in 2012, she captured the BIG EAST individual crown and twice earned all-BIG EAST honors. She also represents the women’s golf team on the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC).
“In my 25 years as a head coach Ashley has been the greatest example of what a student-athlete is,” Notre Dame women’s golf head coach Susan Holt commented. “What sets her apart from all other student-athletes I have coached is her undeniable work ethic. Whether it is academic related, golf team practice or team strength and conditioning sessions, it is Ashley who sets the tone for how things gets done efficiently and effectively. She has the ability to push the people around her to be better by the example she is. She has earned the respect of every teammate she has ever had during her time at Notre Dame. It has certainly been my honor and privilege to be her coach the past four years.”
Schneider (Vienna, Austria) is a three-time recipient of the hockey team’s Rockne Student-Athlete Award and will graduate from the Mendoza College of Business with a degree in economics and finance and a minor in actuary. He also is a participant in the Rosenthal Leadership Academy.
Schneider skated in 41 of Notre Dame’s 42 games in 2014-15, scoring seven times and adding nine assists for 16 points. An alternate captain, he was at his best in the Hockey East playoffs, notching eight of his 16 points during the postseason, including a career-high three assists in Notre Dame’s win over Massachusetts in the decisive Game 3 of a grueling first-round series which featured the longest game in college hockey history.
“I would like to thank the Monogram Club not only for this generous scholarship but also for all the support they provide student-athletes in their development into great citizens during college and the pursuit of a meaningful career after college,” Schneider said. “I have worked incredibly hard during my time at Notre Dame to balance my schedule as a student and as a hockey player in order to be successful in both areas. I am grateful that my efforts have been acknowledged by many teachers. One teacher in particular, Professor Leahy, realized my passion for law in his labor law class and convinced me to consider going to law school. Since I am not a U.S. citizen, I do not have access to federal student loans and any help to cover the rising costs of graduate school is vital to my future success as a graduate student.”
Providing needed depth in Notre Dame’s offensive lineup, the Irish were 7-2-2 in the 11 games where Schneider recorded at least one point, including each of the team’s three postseason victories. He played in 138 career outings, scored 22 goals and dished off 25 assists (47 points).
“Peter’s ability to focus and stay ‘in the moment’ allowed him to excel at every task he encountered,” Notre Dame hockey head coach Jeff Jackson stated. “Add to this an incredible attitude and work ethic and you have the model student-athlete. The consistency of excellence in every aspect of Peter’s life here at Notre Dame is unparalleled in our program.”
Both Armstrong and Schneider also received the Byron V. Kanaley Award at the O.S.C.A.R.S. The Kanaley Award has been given annually since 1926 to senior monogram student-athletes who have been most exemplary as both students and leaders. Chosen by the University’s Faculty Board on Athletics, the award is named in honor of the 1904 Notre Dame graduate who was a member of the baseball team as an undergraduate. Kanaley went on to a successful banking career in Chicago and served the University as a lay trustee until his death in 1960.
Previous Monogram Club Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients
2009 – Thomas Bemenderfer (football) and Mallorie Croal (volleyball)
2010 – Tim Andree (basketball) and Cosmina Ciobanu (tennis)
2011 – Tyler Davis (tennis) and Erin Marrone (softball)
2012 – Christopher Iverson (student manager) and Stephanie Myers (fencing)
2013 – Meghan Salomon (rowing) and Dean Odegard (track & field)
2014 – Kelly Curran (cross country/track & field) and Ted Glasnow (track & field)
–ND–