CANYON, Texas – West Texas A&M's Miriam Zanovello was named the Lone Star Conference Fred Jacoby Female Academic Athlete of the Year presented by Barnes & Noble College. 
 
The award, which is named in honor of late LSC Commissioner Fred Jacoby, were voted on by the conference's sports information directors. To be eligible, student-athletes must have won the top academic award for their respective sport during the 2022-23 season.
 
Zanovello, a graduate track and field triple jumper from Chivasso, Italy, becomes the fifth Lady Buff to earn the prestigious honor and the first WT track and field student-athlete to earn the award. She joins former Lady Buff honorees Laura Iwuchukwu (2014), Lauren Thedford (2011) and Emily Brister (2008, 2009). 
 
Zanovello was awarded back-to-back Lone Star Conference Academic Athlete of the Year for her efforts in the indoor and outdoor track and field seasons. She maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA as a graduate student-athlete while majoring in chemistry. She finished the indoor season ranked 6^th in the nation in the triple jump and finished 10^th in the nation for the outdoor season. 
 
This is the ninth academic award for Zanovello since starting her career in 2020 with the Lady Buffs, including being a three-time USTFCCCA All-Academic award winner and three-time LSC Academic Athlete of the Year. 
 
Zanovello is the 10^th WT student-athlete in WT history to be honored with the Fred Jacoby academic award.