Melissa Arthur Receives Academic Momentum Award
May 12 | Women's Lacrosse
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (May 12, 2014) - Junior attacker Melissa Arthur (Marlton, N.J.) of the Rutgers women's lacrosse team was named a recipient of the Scholar Baller National First Team Academic Momentum Award, the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS) announced. A total of 10 student-athletes were selected for the Academic Momentum Award First Team.
"Melissa is such an outstanding example of what our program represents," said head coach Laura Brand-Sias. "She works tirelessly on and off the field and is one of our top volunteers in the community. This award couldn't go to a more deserving recipient."
Top nominations were categorized into three teams based on each student-athlete's academic improvement and the impact each student-athlete's academic performance had on his or her classmates, teammates, academic advisors, and professors. The second and third teams consisted of 15 members apiece.
Established in 1995, the Scholar Baller ® movement evolved in response to concerns that the student-athlete's athletics role increasingly superseded the student role. In order to address this issue, the founding members of Scholar Baller developed a groundbreaking program to bridge the gap between education and sport utilizing student-athletes' passion for entertainment and athletics. As a result, the Scholar Baller program has produced unprecedented outcomes in student retention and academic achievement.
The NCAS is an ever-growing organization of colleges and universities that provides opportunities for current and former student-athletes to continue their pursuit of higher education, while working in the community with children to address social issues. Established in 1985, the overall mission of the NCAS is "to create a better society by focusing on education attainment and using the power appeal of sport to positively affect social change."
First Team Academic Momentum Award Recipients
Melissa Arthur, Rutgers University, Communications, Lacrosse
Markel Brown, Oklahoma State University, Education, Basketball
Shavon Coleman, Louisiana State University, Interdisciplinary studies, Basketball
Anthony Creecy, North Carolina State, Sport Management, Football
Marion Grice, Arizona State University, Interdisciplinary Studies, Football
Larissa Melendez, Adelphi University, Exercise Science, Track and Field
Ariel Morton, Louisiana State University, Interdisciplinary Studies, Tennis
Trovon Reed, Auburn University, Rehabilitation and Disabilities Studies, Football
Kourtney Roberson, Texas A&M, General Studies, Basketball
Morgan Steigerwalt, Arizona State University, Exploratory, Gymnastics
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