PELLA — Setting a new record for the second year in a row, 11 Central College student-athletes were included on an impressive national list of student-athletes nominated for their academic and athletic accomplishments announced in a recent issue of 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.
The nominations are whittled down to 10 male and 10 female semifinalists. The process then shrinks the field to four finalists before a male and a female nominee are awarded the title of Arthur Ashe Jr., Sports Scholars of the Year. University of Maryland-Baltimore County men's track and field athlete Anjayooluwa O. "Jayo" Adegboyo was the national men's winner while University of Oregon women's track and field athlete Jaida Ross was the female winner.
Central's honorees:
Ernest Alvarez Chedzoy, so., men's tennis, Kerrville, Texas/Kivy HS, accounting, 3.69
JT LaFleur, jr., men's track & field, Bondurant, Iowa/home school, kinesiology, 3.78
Vito Luchi, so., football, Tolleson, Ariz./Tolleson HS, business management, 3.72
Alejo Marcon, jr., men's soccer, Resistencia, Argentina/Pella Christian HS, business management, 3.59
Lelong Miyeng, so., men's soccer, Bondurant, Iowa/Des Moines North HS, kinesiology, 3.35
Emma Murphy, so., women's tennis, Liberty, Mo./Liberty HS, elementary education, 3.92
MiMi Pavelka, jr., women's soccer, Shakopee, Minn./Holy Family HS, kinesiology, 3.89
Nathan Rosas, jr., men's wrestling, Harvard, Ill./Harvard HS, computer science, 3.59
Josue Torres, jr., men's soccer, Osceola, Iowa/Clarke HS, kinesiology, 3.76
Winona Van Berkum, jr., women's track & field, Pella, Iowa/Pella HS, kinesiology, 3.57
Jasmyn Williams, jr., women's basketball/track & field, Denver, Colo./Arvada West HS, elementary education, 3.71
