PELLA — Three-time Central College wrestling All-American C.J. Pestano (senior, Torrance, Calif.) was included on an impressive national list of student-athletes honored for their academic and athletic accomplishments by the magazine Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.

The Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Awards Program is designed to honor undergraduate students who have excelled in the classroom as well as on the athletic field. Inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe, Jr.'s commitment to education as well as his love for the game of tennis, U.S. colleges and universities are invited to participate in this annual award program by nominating their outstanding sports scholars. In addition to their athletic ability and academic performance. Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars demonstrate a commitment to community service and student leadership.
           
A three-time All-American for Central, Pestano is a physics major and mathematics minor with a 3.23 GPA. He finished sixth at the 2018 NCAA Division III Championships after finishing second (2016) and fourth (2017) in previous seasons.
           
Athletes across 36 intercollegiate sports from all divisions of NCAA and NAIA competition are amongst the honorees. Pestano is one of two Division III wrestlers out of 10 total wrestlers cited. Pestano was the only Iowa Conference student-athlete cited.

The nominations are whittled down to 20 male and 20 female semifinalists. The process then shrinks the field to three finalists before a male and a female nominee are awarded the title of Arthur Ashe Jr., Sports Scholars of the Year.

On the men's side, football defensive back Blaise Taylor from Arkansas State University was the winner while University of Georgia women's basketball player Haley Clark was the female winner.