April 18, 2007

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Katie Gearlds has been named the 2007 Purdue Varsity Walk Award recipient, as voted on by the members of the Purdue Reamer Club. The award recognizes the senior student-athlete at Purdue who has brought the most positive recognition to the university on a national stage. The award has been in existence for 51-years. John Bartlett, a Purdue tennis player, received the first award in 1956. Gearlds is the eight women's basketball player to be honored with the Varsity Walk Award and the first since Kelly Komara in 2002.

Gearlds, who lead the Purdue women's basketball team to a 31-6 record and the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, was drafted seventh in the WNBA Draft in early April. Gearlds leaves Purdue as the fourth leading scorer in school history with 1,974 points and holds the record for career three-pointers with 238. She holds school records for minutes played (4,475), career free throw percentage (86.3) and points in a game (41). As a senior, Gearlds averaged 19.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

Established in 1923, the Purdue Reamer Club, which is a student organization at Purdue, is the care-taker of the Boilermaker Special. In addition, the club is an athletic backing organization that fosters and observes school traditions.

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