April 23, 2007
Cullowhee, N.C. - Eight Western Carolina student-athletes, the most in school history, were today recognized as 2007 Arthur Ashe, Jr., Sports Scholars as chosen and released by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.
Headlining the selections this year were two-time recipients, Sharhonda Bell (Women's Track & Field), Ogden Hansford (Men's Track & Field) and Raquel Ramseur (Women's Track & Field), with Buki Baruwa (Women's Soccer), John Cooper (Football), Kendra Eaton (Women's Basketball), Kevin Johnson (Men's Track & Field) and Aneesha Lane (Women's Track & Field) all garnering honors for the first time.
Western's eight selections were the most by any Southern Conference school, with Elon garnering two selections (men's soccer, women's track & field) and Davidson (women's basketball), Georgia Southern (women's soccer) and Wofford (women's track & field) each tallying one.
Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, formerly Black Issues in Higher Education, established the Sports Scholars Award in 1992 to honor undergraduate students of color or minority who have made achieving both academically and athletically a winning combination. The award was inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe Jr.'s commitment to education, as well as his love for the game of tennis. To be eligible, student-athletes must compete in an intercollegiate sport, maintain a cumulative grade point average of a least 3.20 and be active on their campuses and communities.
Baruwa (Cary, N.C.) recorded three goals and an assist for a career-best seven points last season in 17 matches for the Catamounts. The sophomore was named to the SoCon TIAA-CREF Fall All-Academic Team following the season. Baruwa served this year as the vice president of the Western Carolina Student-Athletic Advisory Council (SAAC) after serving as the women's soccer team's representative to the SAAC as a freshman.
Bell (Charlotte, N.C.) is a two-time Arthur Ashe Sports Scholar award winner, one of three WCU student-athletes recognized during the 2007 awards. At the SoCon Outdoor Championship, Bell finished sixth in the women's shot put with the team's season-best mark of 12.56m (41-2.5). The senior has spent this past academic year serving as the president of Western's Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC). She was also named to the SoCon TIAA-CREF Winter All-Academic Team for the indoor track & field season. Most recently, Bell was honored as the African-American Student-Athlete Scholar of the Year at the year-end awards banquet sponsored by the WCU Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Organization of Ebony Students (OES).
Eaton (Winston-Salem, N.C.) was an integral part of the Lady Catamounts' 2006-07 regular season championship, helping WCU advance to post-season for the second-time in the past three seasons. Averaging 5.3 points and 4.2 rebounds, which ranked her third on the team, Eaton played in all 34 games, making six appearances in the starting line-up. Off the court, the 2006 SoCon Academic Honor Roll and Commissioner's Medal recipient was named to the 2007 SoCon TIAA-CREF Winter All-Academic Team. Eaton was named the female 2007 Henry Logan Award winner at the year-end awards banquet sponsored by the WCU Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Organization of Ebony Students (OES).
Cooper (Cherokee, N.C.), who is a Native American, is an offensive guard on the Catamount Football team.
Hansford (Mooresville, N.C.) was recognized as a Sports Scholar by Diverse for the second-consecutive year. Earlier this season, the junior was named to the SoCon TIAA-CREF Winter All-Academic Team for his participation in indoor track & field.
Johnson (Marion, N.C.) most recently garnered All-Southern Conference accolades with a third-place run in the men's 100-meter dash at the SoCon Outdoor Championships. The sophomore was named to the SoCon TIAA-CREF Winter All-Academic Team for his participation in indoor track & field. Johnson was named the male 2007 Henry Logan Award winner at the year-end awards banquet sponsored by the WCU Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Organization of Ebony Students (OES).
Lane (Peachtree City, Ga.) was named to the SoCon TIAA-CREF Winter All-Academic Team during indoor track season where she posted the team's second-best 400-meter dash time (57.43) and the fourth-quickest 200-meter dash mark (26.45).
Ramseur (Charlotte, N.C.) garnered All-Southern Conference honors at both the SoCon Indoor and Outdoor Championships this season. Last weekend, the junior claimed an individual championships in the 400-meter dash while also qualifying for the NCAA Regional in the event. She was also a part of the first-place finishing WCU women's 4x100-meter relay squad, while also earning All-SoCon honors in the 200-meter dash and the 4x400-meter relay. During the indoor season, Ramseur was named athlete of the week back on Jan. 31, and was tabbed the conference's Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Month for January. She was additionally named to the SoCon TIAA-CREF Winter All-Academic Team.
For more information on Diverse, or a complete listing of the 2007 Arthur Ashe, Jr., Sports Scholar program awards, please visit www.diverseeducation.com.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Kendra Eaton, Sophomore, 3.63 GPA - Sport Management - Second Team
FOOTBALL
John Cooper, Senior, 3.22 GPA - Hospitality & Tourism - Third Team
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Buki Baruwa, Sophomore, 3.675 GPA - Criminal Justice - Second Team
MEN'S TRACK & FIELD
Ogden Hansford - Junior, 3.65 GPA - Entrepreneurship & Marketing - First Team
Kevin Johnson - Sophomore, 3.53 GPA - Undeclared - First Team
WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD
Sharhonda Bell, Senior, 3.71 GPA - Biology - Honorable Mention
Aneesha Lane, Sophomore, 3.37 - Psychology - Fourth Team
Raquel Ramseur, Junior, 3.22 GPA - Marketing - Honorable Mention
