In the midst of bowl season, March Madness and College World Series runs, it’s easy to forget LSU athletes are also students.The Tiger Athletic Foundation’s Academic Excellence Gala on Sunday night recognized more than 150 student-athletes who excelled both in the classrooms and their respective sports. Coaches and athletes from all LSU sports were represented, including LSU football coach Les Miles.”When we introduce a student-athlete at LSU, we do so with this in mind — that he will gain tools and strengths academically that will allow him to compete in the marketplace throughout his life,” Miles said.Former pitcher Louis Coleman and former gymnast Ashleigh Clare-Kearney headlined the honorees as the TAF Athletes of the Year, awarded to the male and female athletes who excelled most in their respective sports.Coleman, a fifth-round draft pick of the Kansas City Royals, was the Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year. His 29 career wins and 303 strikeouts are No. 8 and No. 9, respectively, in LSU history.Clare-Kearney was one of the most decorated gymnasts in LSU history. She was the first LSU gymnast to claim two national titles, winning the NCAA Vault Championship and the NCAA Floor Championship.Junior swimmer Laust Helmig and senior volleyball player Lauren DeGirolamo were the 2009 TAF Scholar Athletes of the Year. The award is given to the male and female student-athletes who have shown superior academic prowess. Helmig, a native of Denmark, speaks three languages — English, Danish and German. The two-time recipient of the Director’s Cup for Academic Excellence maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA in five semesters at LSU.DeGirolamo graduated summa cum laude with a 3.925 undergraduate GPA and a 4.0 graduate GPA.The Eye of the Tiger award was handed to the LSU athlete who overcame the most adversity. Sophomore goalie Mo Isom, who lost her father early in 2009 and was injured in a major car accident during Thanksgiving break, received the award.The LSU soccer team edged out baseball to win the Tiger Cup award, which combines GPA, final SEC standings and average community service.–Contact Rowan Kavner at [email protected]