IRVINE, Calif.—Senior men's volleyball player Stijn van Tilburg and senior women's tennis player Petra Melounova will be honored as the University of Hawai'i's recipients of the Big West Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award. One male and one female student-athlete from each of the nine conference schools will be honored at a special banquet on Thursday, March 14 at the Marriott Suites hotel in Garden Grove, California.
 
Van Tilburg is an outside hitter for Rainbow Warriors men's volleyball team. The Rainbow Warriors are currently ranked No. 2 in the nation. Van Tilburg earned first-team All Big West honors in 2018 as well as AVCA All American honors.  He was one of the three finalists for Off the Block's International Player of the Year award.
 
An Economics major with a minor in Political Science, van Tilburg has earned Dean's List six semesters, earning a perfect 4.0 in four semesters. He is an ambassador for UH athletics with the students and the community. He plans to play volleyball professionally and to pursue a career in sports management.
 
In the midst of her junior season with the Rainbow Wahine Tennis program, Melnounova is already one of the most successful players in program history.  She is a two time Big West Conference Player of the Year winner and has also earned first team all-conference with her doubles partner. 
 
She finished her sophomore campaign ranked 75th overall in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's poll.  She was selected to participate in the 2018 NCAA Championships as an individual, while also leading her team to only their second all-time appearance in the team tennis championship. 
 
An electrical engineering major, Melnounova is scheduled to graduate in Spring 2020. She plans to play tennis professionally and to ultimately become an astronaut.