The NCAA News - News and Features

April 14, 1997

Volleyball, track standouts receive Walter Byers Scholarships

Volleyball standout Marya Morusiewicz of Barry University and track and field athlete Scott Keane of the University of Cincinnati are this year's recipients of the Association's Walter Byers Scholarships.

Morusiewicz and Keane each will receive a $10,000 scholarship from the Association. They were selected from among six finalists who were interviewed April 6-7 in St. Louis by the Walter Byers Scholarship Committee.

The Byers scholarships were established in 1988 to recognize the contributions of the former NCAA executive director by encouraging excellence in academic performance by student-athletes.

Award recipients are required to have at least a 3.500 grade-point average (4.000 scale), show evidence of superior character and leadership, and demonstrate that participation in athletics has been a positive influence on personal and intellectual development, among other qualifications.

Following is a look at the Byers scholars:

Marya Franciszka Morusiewicz

One of 10 finalists for the 1996 NCAA Woman of the Year award, Morusiewicz helped lead Barry to the 1995 Division II Women's Volleyball Championship title. She was named to the All-South Regional Tournament Team as the Buccaneers advanced to the Elite Eight for the second consecutive year. Morusiewicz also set several school records, including career marks in digs (980) and service aces (164).

Morusiewicz majored in sports medicine and athletic training. She was the Sunshine State Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 1996. A perennial President's List student, Morusiewicz also was a GTE/CoSIDA first-team Academic All-America selection in 1995. She will graduate in May.

Morusiewicz has been active in her church ministry and choir and has been involved in the Praxis (Environmental Group) Recycling Program and the Hunger Awareness Committee. She also has volunteered many hours to the BUCS Tutoring Team and Easter Seals.

She plans to obtain a postgraduate degree in physical therapy.

Scott Patrick Keane

A cocaptain of Cincinnati's track team, Keane ranked among conference leaders in the discus, shot put and hammer events. Keane helped lead the Bearcats to a second-place finish at the 1996 Conference USA indoor championships and has won five individual indoor and outdoor titles during his career.

Keane is a mechanical engineering major and will graduate in June at the top of his class. He is a two-time GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America selection and was named Conference USA's Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 1996.

Keane has worked in the Japanese office of the Structural Dynamics Research Corporation and has been honored for several mechanical designs.

A frequent volunteer, speaker and tutor for youth groups and students, Keane also participated in Shadow Day at Cincinnati for inner-city children and was involved in the Cincinnati Wheel Chair Games festival in 1995.

Keane plans to pursue a postgraduate degree in machine learning and self-optimizing control in mechanical systems.