Idaho cross country and track and field athlete Melinda Ouwerkerk along with Hawai?i men's volleyball player Lauri Hakala and San Jose State baseball player Corey Cabral have been chosen the 2006-07 Western Athletic Conference Stan Bates Award winners. The award is named in honor of former WAC Commissioner Stan Bates. The award honors the WAC's top male and female scholar-athletes and recognizes the recipients' athletic and academic accomplishments. This is the first time since 1989 that there was a co-Stan Bates award winner on the men's side.

Ouwerkerk, a senior from Abbottsford, British Columbia, is a biology and science major with a 4.0 GPA. In 2007, she earned the International Student Scholarship Endowment which is based on GPA, community service, leadership and career objectives. She earned all-WAC Academic honors in both cross country and track and field.

During 2006-07, Ouwerkerk volunteered for the Cardiac Rehab Program at Gritman Medical Center. She was also a camp counselor at Lutherhaven Camp at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

At the 2007 WAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, Ouwerkerk finished sixth in the mile and fourth in the distance medley relay. In 2006, she finished second in the 800m at the McDonald's Open.