STANFORD, Calif. - Cardinal men's gymnast Mark Berlaga has been named one of 42 recipients of the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, as announced by the NCAA on Friday afternoon.
"It’s an honor to receive the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, and it would not have been possible without my teammates, coaches, and professors pushing me to work my hardest in and out of the gym," Berlaga said "It’s a pleasure to represent Stanford Men’s Gymnastics after graduation, where I will use the scholarship to fund my medical school education after a year of working as an Emergency Medical Technician in New York City."
Given to 21 male and 21 female student-athletes, the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship winners receive a one-time grant of $10,000. In addition to maintaining at least a 3.2 grade-point average, they must perform with distinction in their sport and be nominated by their institution's faculty athletics representative.
Berlaga ended his career as a three-time NCAA All-American as a still rings specialist, finishing as the national runner-up in the event in both 2022 and 2024. He is also an MPSF Champion in the event, scoring a 14.600 to win the conference title in 2023. Berlaga contributed to one of the sports' most impressive dynasties during his time on The Farm, helping guide Stanford to three national championships and three MPSF team titles.
"Gymnastics sparked my early interest in the human body’s capabilities which quickly led to a fascination of medicine as I began to research antibodies for an HIV vaccine and volunteering at the VA Hospital," Berlaga added. "My academic and athletic experiences have thouroughly prepared me for my future medical career and I look forward to using everything Stanford has taught me while working to improve patient health:.
Academically, Berlaga finishes his academic career as one of the most decorated student-athletes in collegiate gymnastics, boasting a 4.04 GPA in pursuit of his degree in Biology. The Palo Alto, Calif. native was named the CSC Men's Division I At-Large Team Member of the Year in 2024, given to the student-athlete with the best combined athletic and academic performance in the At-Large category. Additionally, Berlaga is a CSC First Team Academic All-American, a two-time Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll selection, and a three-time MPSF All-Academic Team honoree.
"I am grateful to my family, friends, and teammates for inspiring and motivating me in my athletic and academic endeavors. I will never forget the experiences I had and the people I met here at Stanford, it was truly a life-changing four years here as a student-athlete. Stanford’s unmatched commitment to excellence has made me a better athlete, student, and person ready to take on the next phase of my career."