BLR or no BLR, no amount of money can make sure that LBSU has the highest quality of athlete.  But you know what, there’s nothing finer than a 49er.

Long Beach State women’s basketball player Lauren Sims and former Dirtbag baseball player Shane Peterson have been named LBSU’s 2009 Big West Scholar-Athletes of the Year.

Peterson, representing the fine Pumas of Chaparral High, is a two-time Big West Scholar-Athlete of the Year for Long Beach State. He signed a professional baseball contract last summer after being drafted in the second round by the St. Louis Cardinals. The 2008 Big West Co-Player of the Year, Peterson also garnered third-team All-American honors. A .390 hitter with seven homers, 16 doubles and 50 RBI, Peterson also was recognized as a CoSIDA All-American and a six-time member of the President’s List. Off the diamond, Peterson was involved with Miller’s Children’s Hospital and the Spark of Love Toy Drive. The finance major also volunteered at local Little Leagues and helped raise nearly $1,000 for the Susan G. Komen Breast Foundation.

Sims, Fullerton native, has accumulated a number of academic honors while a member of the women’s basketball team. In addition to belonging to the President’s Honor Roll and the Golden Key International Honors Society, Sims was named to the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VIII Second Team in 2007-08 and 2008-09. She also received the NCAA Student-Athlete National Conference Participant Award in 2008. On the court, the team captain ranks seventh all-time in school history in 3-point field goal percentage. Sims led the Big West in that category with a .382 mark in 2007-08. She also finds time to serve in a number of volunteer capacities, including the St. Mary’s Medical Center Clinical Care Extender, Southern California Special Olympics, Long Beach marathon and the Big West Charity Coin Drive. Her post-graduation goals include medical school and volunteering abroad with Doctors Without Borders.

Report By LBSU