[May 15, 2012] BRIEF: Lighthouse Christian alum Van Vliet Wins ISU Scholar-Athlete Award Tweet May 12, 2012 (The Times-News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Lighthouse Christian graduate and current Idaho State offensive lineman John van Vliet has been honored as the Italo "Babe" Caccia Scholar-Athlete Award winner for the 2012 season. Van Vliet received the honor at an April 28 at a banquet held by the Southern Idaho chapter of the National Football Foundation and the College Hall of Fame. Having graduated with his bachelor's in communications, van Vliet says he wants to write someday for a "big-city newspaper." As he prepares for the upcoming season, van Vliet will also be enrolled in graduate school, where he will be enrolled in the school's rhetorical studies program. "It feels good," van Vliet said in a statement through the ISU sports information department. "You put just as much work into your academics as you do athletics so it feels good to be recognized for what you do as a student." Having walked on to the ISU program in 2009, van Vliet earned a scholarship the following season and has started in 11 of ISU's 22 games, while playing in seven more. ISU begins its season on Sept. 1 at Air Force. His father, John, is the head football coach and athletic director at Lighthouse Christian. ___ (c)2012 The Times-News (Twin Falls, Idaho) Visit The Times-News (Twin Falls, Idaho) at magicvalley.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]