From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
Recent Case Western Reserve University graduate and standout women's cross country and track & field runner Danielle Kulpins (Brookfield, Wis. / Brookfield Central) was selected as one of the 29 women's spring sport recipients of the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, which recognizes student-athletes with plans on attending graduate school for their athletic and academic achievements, along with their work in the community and demonstrated leadership.
The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, a $7,500 scholarship to be applied toward the graduate degree program of Kulpins' choice, is awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically, and are in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition. The Association awards up to 174 postgraduate scholarships annually, 87 for men and 87 for women. This season's NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipients (29 men and 29 women) represent members of spring sports teams, including baseball, men's and women's golf, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's outdoor track and field, men's volleyball, women's rowing, women's sand volleyball, softball, and women's water polo.
Kulpins is the third Spartan this season to claim the scholarship, joining football player Cody Calhoun and men's swimmer Drew Hamilton who received the scholarship in the fall and winter, respectfully. She is also just the second member of the women's track and field team to claim the scholarship, joining Leslie Kindling, who was selected as a scholarship winner in 1995. Kulpins is the 29th student-athlete in CWRU athletics history overall to claim the honor.
Kulpins recently competed a stellar career at Case Western Reserve. During the 2017 cross country season, she earned All-Region honors after leading the team with a 17th-place finish. In addition, she finished second in the 5,000-meter run at the 2018 University Athletic Association Indoor Championships.
During the outdoor season, Kulpins qualified for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships after posting a time of 10:40.17 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase to claim the title at the All-Ohio Championships. That time was good enough for the fourth-best mark in Division III. She added an All-UAA honor in the 3,000-meter steeplechase after placing second in the event at the conference championships. Kulpins concluded her career at CWRU by finishing 10th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Championships with a time of 10:50.75.
Academically, Kulpins recorded a 3.973 grade point average as a nutrition major. She plans on attending CWRU medical school in the fall. Kulpins has been recognized on nine occasions as a UAA All-Academic honoree. In addition, she was named to the Google Cloud Academic All-America Track & Field/ Cross Country Third Team, becoming just the ninth time in the history of CWRU women's track and field and cross country programs that a Spartan has claimed a spot on the Academic All-America team.
Kulpins has also volunteered at local farms and gardens and worked with the Cleveland Public Schools to connect teaching science to middle-schoolers. At CWRU, she was President of the Slow Food Club and co-organized the Shaker Lakes team community service project. She has also worked as a researcher at the Cleveland Clinic while at Case Western Reserve.
The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship was created in 1964 to promote and encourage postgraduate education by rewarding the Association's most accomplished student-athletes through their participation in NCAA championship and/or emerging sports.