MARQUETTE, Mich. - The United States Olympic Education Center has awarded nine new female freestyle resident athletes the B.J. Stupak Scholarship for the 2006-07 academic year. 

Scholarship recipients are Whitney Conder (Puyallup, Wash.) and Vianny Amparo (Copiague, N.Y.) in the 48-kilogram weight class; Amanda Breezley (Midland, Ohio) and Alyssa Lampe (Tomahawk, Wis.) at 51 kg; Shyla Iokia (Denver, Colo.), Cherae Pascue (Mililani, Hawaii) and Tina Pihl (Colorado Springs, Colo.) at 55 kg; and Dallas Monreal-Berner (Niles, Ill.) and Jenna Pavlik (Lewes, Del) at 72 kg. 

Nine other athletes continuing their USOEC residency are retaining the scholarship. They include Amy Borgnini (Terre Haute, Ind.), Nicole Darrow (Lanesboro, Mass.), Dany Hedin (Kailua, Hawaii), Kierstin Hyatt (Carmichael, Calif.), Sadie Kaneda (Honolulu, Hawaii), Jenna Pavlik (Lewes, Del.), Stefanie Shaw (Waterford, Conn.), Elizabeth Short (Lombard, Ill.) and Melissa Simmons (Ridgefield, Wash.) training at the USOEC.

As a federally funded grant program, the B.J. Stupak Scholarship is designed to provide financial assistance to Olympic-aspiring student athletes. Named in honor of Michigan Congressman Bart Stupak's high school son who tragically died in May 2000, the program has helped more than 200 athletes continue their education while training for athletic competition at the USOEC at Northern Michigan University.