Blinn College sophomore Molly Duge was named the winner of the 2013 Dr. James H. Atkinson Cup recognizing the sophomore student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average (GPA).

Duge, a defensive specialist from Brenham High School, led all Buccaneer sophomore athletes with a 3.86 cumulative GPA. She was recently named an NJCAA Academic All-American.

"That girl holds a special place in our hearts," Blinn volleyball coach Erin Mellinger said. "We're very proud of her and she's completely deserving of this award."

On the court, Duge posted 107 digs for the Buccaneer volleyball team last season, good for 1.75 per set. Duge and the Buccaneers went 25-7 on the season and reached the Region XIV Conference Tournament semifinals.

"She was a leader on the court and off the court," Mellinger said. "She led by her actions and her words, and her communication on the court was outstanding. She did awesome things for us."

Duge has transferred to Lamar University, where she is majoring in engineering and will play on the volleyball team in the Fall.

The Atkinson Cup, sponsored by the Buccaneer Alumni Letterman Association, began in 2000 to honor the top sophomore student athlete with the highest GPA in a minimum of 48 transferable hours. The award is named for former Blinn athletic director and president Dr. James H. Atkinson.