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 Rans Brempong has been honored by the Southern Conference as recipient of the Mike Wood Foundation Graduate Scholarship. |
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March 24, 2005
Cullowhee, N.C. - For the second consecutive season, a Western Carolina men's basketball player has been honored by the Southern Conference for academic excellence as Rans Brempong was named recipient of the Mike Wood Foundation Graduate Scholarship. Brempong, the SoCon's all-time leader in blocked shots with 308, is currently pursing his Master's degree in entrepreneurship at Western.
The Mike Wood Scholarship, worth $2,000 to pursue a graduate degree at the school of the recipient's choice, is awarded to student-athletes competing in men's basketball, as well as a female athlete with preference given to those participating in basketball. Also, to be eligible, the student-athlete must be a varsity letter-winner and have completed eligibility or be actively competing in the last season of eligibility in his/her sport, or be in the fourth year of attendance at a Southern Conference school. Preference is given to those majoring in business or a related field and they must have demonstrated leadership skills in athletics and/or extra curricular organizations on campus.
Brempong, who graduated with a B.S. in Communications from Western this past August, began graduate school in the fall as he received a medical redshirt to play a fifth season with the Catamounts. The Thornhill, Ontario, native ended the 2004-05 season ranked second in the SoCon and ranking 16th nationally in blocked shots (2.77 avg.). He additionally ranked ninth in the league in field goal percentage (.515) and 14th in rebounding (6.0 avg.). In addition to his academic excellence and his performance on the court, he has served the community by reading to area elementary school children, participating in free basketball clinics for area youth and serving meals to the less fortunate at the Community Table of Sylva.
Last year, former Catamount Emre Atsur was the recipient of the Mike Wood Foundation Graduate Scholarship. He is currently putting his international business degree to use, working in the business field Germany while playing professional basketball. Atsur and Brempong were the first two players WCU head coach Steve Shurina signed when he took over the reigns of the Catamount basketball program.
Other SoCon honorees include Dave Hart Graduate Scholarship recipient Keith Clifton of The Citadel, Dorothy Hicks Graduate Scholarship recipient Samantha Giudici of Appalachian State, TIAA-CREF Graduate Scholarship recipient Pramote Malasitt of Elon, Sony Graduate Scholarship recipient Kristen Trexler of Appalachian State, David Knight Graduate Scholarship recipient Molly Mungovan of Furman, Michelle Conklin of Appalachian State, an additional recipient of the Mike Wood Foundation Graduate Scholarships, and Brent Stephens of Georgia Southern and Amber Mangrum of Appalachian State, who each earned the Renaissance Graduate Scholarships.
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