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Racer Trio Named Ashe Sports Scholars
5/6/2016 2:38:00 PM | Football, Women's Track and Field
Taylor Horton and Vallery Korir of the Murray State women's track and field team and Greg Willard of the Murray State football team have been named as an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.
"I'm very proud of these student-athletes and commend them for their excellence in competition and in the classroom," said Director of Athletics Allen Ward. "Taylor, Vallery and Greg are very deserving of this recognition as each is dedicated to fully realizing their potential as both a student and an athlete."
Horton, a sophomore from Louisville, Kentucky, and Korir, a sophomore from Iten, Kenya, both set personal bests for the Racer track and field team this season. Horton, a wildlife and conservation biology major, cleared 1.60m in the high jump at Murray State's own Margaret Simmons invitational, while Korir, who is enrolled in the MSU nursing program, ran the 10,000m in 34:27.04 at the Virginia Challenge. While both have excelled on the field, both also excelled in the classroom last season as each was named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll for the 2014-15 academic year.
Meanwhile, Willard, a junior from Decatur, Alabama, has played in 15 games for Murray State where he has been a prim contributor on special teams. In addition to his work on the field, Willard, a physical education major, has also helped in the community via the annual International Walk To School Day hosted each year by Murray Middle School.
In 1992, Black Issues In Higher Education magazine, now Diverse, established the Sports Scholars Awards to honor undergraduate students of color who exemplify the standards set by tennis great Arthur Ashe Jr.
A scholar and athlete, Ashe sought to expand opportunities for young people. Each year Diverse invites every postsecondary institution in the country to participate in this awards program by nominating their outstanding sports scholars. In addition to their athletic ability, students named Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars must exhibit academic excellence as well as community activism.
To be included, students have to compete in an intercollegiate sport; maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.2; and be active on their campuses or in their communities. The NCAA Office of Inclusion has partnered with Diverse to support this standout class of scholar athletes. Approximately 1,000 male and female students from across the country were nominated this academic year.
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"I'm very proud of these student-athletes and commend them for their excellence in competition and in the classroom," said Director of Athletics Allen Ward. "Taylor, Vallery and Greg are very deserving of this recognition as each is dedicated to fully realizing their potential as both a student and an athlete."
Horton, a sophomore from Louisville, Kentucky, and Korir, a sophomore from Iten, Kenya, both set personal bests for the Racer track and field team this season. Horton, a wildlife and conservation biology major, cleared 1.60m in the high jump at Murray State's own Margaret Simmons invitational, while Korir, who is enrolled in the MSU nursing program, ran the 10,000m in 34:27.04 at the Virginia Challenge. While both have excelled on the field, both also excelled in the classroom last season as each was named to the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll for the 2014-15 academic year.
Meanwhile, Willard, a junior from Decatur, Alabama, has played in 15 games for Murray State where he has been a prim contributor on special teams. In addition to his work on the field, Willard, a physical education major, has also helped in the community via the annual International Walk To School Day hosted each year by Murray Middle School.
In 1992, Black Issues In Higher Education magazine, now Diverse, established the Sports Scholars Awards to honor undergraduate students of color who exemplify the standards set by tennis great Arthur Ashe Jr.
A scholar and athlete, Ashe sought to expand opportunities for young people. Each year Diverse invites every postsecondary institution in the country to participate in this awards program by nominating their outstanding sports scholars. In addition to their athletic ability, students named Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars must exhibit academic excellence as well as community activism.
To be included, students have to compete in an intercollegiate sport; maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.2; and be active on their campuses or in their communities. The NCAA Office of Inclusion has partnered with Diverse to support this standout class of scholar athletes. Approximately 1,000 male and female students from across the country were nominated this academic year.
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