Miami, Oklahoma – Monday, May 06, 2013 – Sophomore Gerardo Isla was recently awarded the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) Carl Rigney Outstanding Male Student Athlete. 

    
Carl Rigney was an outstanding teacher, scholar and coach at NEO.  The Carl Rigney award of recognition is voted on by all NEO head coaches and all sophomore athletes are considered.  The award is based on athletic ability, leadership, character and academics.
 
Isla, the 6-8 forward from Valdivia, Chile was captain of the Golden Norse, on the Presidents honor roll and maintains a 4.0 GPA.  An injury early in the season kept Isla from playing his sophomore year at NEO. 
 
“Gerardo has represented our basketball program extremely well for the past two years, both on and off the court,” says Dustin Grover, Head Coach for the Golden Norsemen.  “He is very deserving of this award.  He is a talented athlete, an exceptional student and has the character and qualities that this award represents.  I am very proud of him.”
 
Isla has also just signed a National Letter of Intent to play for Columbia College, Columbia, MO. 
 
“Columbia will be a great fit for Gerardo,” states Grover.  “They play solid basketball and it is a good school academically.  I am pleased that his injury is healed and that he now has the opportunity to move on and continue a great career at Columbia.  He will be an asset to their team and their college.”