INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Women's golfer Ali Carter was awarded one of 58 educational grants through the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Program, the NCAA announced. Carter is the 12th recipient in school history and first since men's basketball player Kelly Golob earned the distinction in 2006.

The winners (29 men and 29 women) represent spring-sports participants who will receive one-time, nonrenewable grants of $7,500. The NCAA previously identified postgraduate scholars for fall and winter sports seasons.

The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who 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.

Carter, who finished her career with a 3.99 in elementary education, was an All-Big Sky Conference first team selection. She recorded a 76.7 stroke average over 20 rounds, leading the Lumberjacks to the Big Sky Conference title and an appearance in the NCAA West Regional.

The Phoenix, Ariz., native was one of 37 students to receive the Gold Ax award, the highest honor given by the university. She was also named the Golden Eagle Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the highest academic honor given by the athletic department. She was chosen for the 2009 National Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar Teams for the third time in her career and was named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America Women's At-Large second team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). She is the first golfer in school history to be named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America team and one of seven players nationally chosen to the first or second at-large teams.

Carter will attend graduate school at NAU this fall after working a summer internship with the American Junior Golf Association.

The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Program was created in 1964 to promote and encourage postgraduate education by rewarding the Association's most accomplished student-athletes through their participation in NCAA sports.

NAU Postgraduate Scholarship Award Winners
Larry Friedrichs – Football -- 1978
Peter Howell -- Baseball -- 1978
Troy Hudson -- Men's Basketball -- 1979
Anna Wiklund -- Women's Track -- 1996
Anna Soderberg -- Women's Track, Outdoor -- 1997
Sabine Krieger -- Women's Track, Outdoor -- 1999
Jessica Leblanc -- Women's Basketball -- 1999
Rikke Pedersen -- Women's Track, Outdoor -- 1999
Emily Allison -- Women's Track, Outdoor -- 2000
Jake Crissup --Football -- 2000
Kelly Golob -- Men's Basketball --2006
Ali Carter – Women's Golf -- 2009

2008-09 Postgraduate Scholarship Women's Spring Sports Awardees
Name, Sport, Institution
Danielle Abraham, Tennis, Boston
Samantha Bailey, Softball, Mississippi State
Megan Bendik, Rowing, Clemson
Catherine Beuerle, Softball, Shenandoah
Lindsy Blair, Tennis, Truman State
Sarah Bowman, Track, Outdoor, Tennessee
Lauren Buck, Rowing, Notre Dame
Allison Carter, Golf, Northern Arizona
Jordan Casey, Tennis, Sewanee (University of the South)
Rachael Click, Softball, Gustavus Adolphus
Stacy Huss, Track, Outdoor, South Dakota State
Esther Kaplan, Tennis, Agnes Scott
Lisa Kingsmore, Softball, Winthrop
Kimbra Kosak, Golf, Gustavus Adolphus
Nora Kuiper, Track, Outdoor, Hope
Alison Maki, Track, Outdoor, Willamette
Jessica Mapes, Softball, Arizona State
Marcie Mullen, Track, Outdoor, Central Washington
Stacey Nelson, Softball, Florida
Kaleigh Rafter, Softball, Florida State
Jenna Rhodes, Softball, Virginia Tech
Shyla Rider, Softball, Barry
Brittany Rogers, Softball, Alabama
Brittanie Roldan, Track, Outdoor, Central Missouri
Randi Schuler, Tennis, UC Davis
Jessica Scott, Track, Outdoor, Wisconsin-Platteville
Staten Spencer, Tennis, LSU
Katelyn Thompson, Golf, Wartburg
Alexandra Tomlinson, Water Polo, Wagner