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The NCAA News -- November 23, 1998

NACDA awards scholarships to preseason football participants

The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Foundation will provide a special scholarship grant to one member of each team that participated in the 1998 Kickoff Classic and Pigskin Classic, the two NACDA-sponsored preseason football games.

NACDA President Jim Livengood, athletics director at the University of Arizona, made the announcement November 11.

Four $5,000 grants, a total of $20,000, are awarded annually to a varsity football letterwinner from each team. The student-athlete must be in his final year of eligibility and carry a minimum grade-point average of 3.000 (4.000 scale). NACDA's charitable arm, the NACDA Foundation, provides the funds for the scholarships for use in postgraduate study.

"The recipient of the scholarship can be anyone the athletics department of each university wishes; it does not have to be a star or a starter," Livengood said. "This furthers the NACDA Foundation's commitment to providing advanced educational opportunities for student-athletes."

In 1998, the University of Southern California defeated Purdue University, 27-17, in Pigskin Classic IX, while Florida State University stopped Texas A&M University, College Station, 23-14, in Kickoff Classic XVI.

Winners of the 1998 scholarship grants are:

  • Adam Abrams, business administration major at Southern California, kicker.

  • Myron Jackson, physical education major at Florida State, tight end.

  • Noble Jones, mechanical engineering major at Purdue, linebacker.

  • Gregory Knutson, agribusiness major at Texas A&M, tight end.

    Abrams has been named the player of the week on five occasions. He also was named a GTE/CoSIDA Academic all-Region in 1997 and was an all-Pacific-10 Conference academic choice in 1997. A member of Mortar Board, Abrams also received the National Young American Medal of Service in California in 1996. He has been nominated for the National Football Foundation, NCAA and Burger King scholarships. Abrams intends to pursue a master's degree in business administration.

    Jackson was the recipient of Florida State's Outstanding Academic Award Among Football Juniors in 1997. He is a member of the FSUnity Council, a group of football leaders whose purpose is to work on improving student-athlete welfare. He also is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and volunteers at the Tallahassee Juvenile Detention Center. Jackson plans to pursue a master's degree in athletics administration.

    Jones is a three-time all-Big Ten academic choice and was nominated for an Arthur Ashe scholarship. He is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers and serves as a tutor for high-school students in math and science. Jones plans to attend graduate school at Purdue in the School of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering.

    Knutson was named to the Big 12 Conference academic honor roll in 1998 and earned GTE/CoSIDA academic recognition. He was the strength and conditioning champion for tight ends and has set university strength records. A walk-on, Knutson earned a starting position in only two years. Knutson is a member of the Agribusiness/Ageconomic Association and volunteers with the elderly through Texas A&M's horticulture program.

    The student-athletes will be honored during NACDA's 34th annual convention June 13-16 at the annual NACDA Scholarship Awards Luncheon. (The Foundation also teams with Sears in the presentation of 20 $5,000 scholarships for athletics support personnel.)

    The NACDA Foundation, founded in 1982, sponsors internship opportunities for aspiring athletics administrators at NACDA's national office. It also provides educational opportunities for NACDA members through a variety of workshops, clinics and seminars. Since 1982, the Foundation has awarded more than $7.6 million in scholarships.

    Funding for the Foundation comes from the Kickoff Classic and Pigskin Classic, whose proceeds also help fund the National Football Foundation and the American Football Coaches Association.

    The games annually generate $420,000 in scholarships.