MILWAUKEE, Wis. (April 24, 2007) - Sophomore Holly Nearman of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's track and field team has been named the Horizon League Athlete of the Week and Scholar-Athlete of the Week when the league office announced both awards this week.

Both honors are the first of Nearman's career for track and field. She is the second Panther to earn either award this season. Junior Amber Curtis garnered athlete of the week honors April 2 and sophomore Jenni Saarinen was the scholar-athlete of the week April 9.

Nearman led Milwaukee at the 80th annual Kansas Relays last weekend, winning the 5000m event. She became the first Panther to win an event at the prestigious event since UWM claimed wins in both the four-mile relay and 4x880-yard relay events. She finished the event in a personal-best 17:31.43. The time is fifth-best in school history.

In the classroom, the Monroe, Wis., native is a journalism major and boasts a 3.619 grade point average. Nearman was also recently named to the academic all-league team for the indoor season.

Milwaukee is in action next this weekend at the Drake Relays and Kip Janvrin Simpson College Open in Iowa.