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NCAA News Archive - 2007
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Two student-athletes selected to receive Byers scholarships
The NCAA News
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The NCAA News
Katie Kingsbury of Washington and Lee University and Dane Todd of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, have been selected as recipients of the 2007 NCAA Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarships, the NCAA’s highest academic award.
Kingsbury and Todd were selected from a group of six finalists (three men and three women) and will each receive a $21,500 scholarship from the NCAA. The winners also will have the option of renewing the scholarship for a second year should they remain in excellent academic standing.
The Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarship Program was established in 1988 to recognize the contributions of Walter Byers, the Association’s original executive director, and was developed to encourage excellence in academic performance by student-athletes. A Byers Scholar is recognized as an individual who has combined the best elements of academic and athletic achievement to earn national distinction for his or her accomplishments, and who promises to be a future leader in his or her chosen field.
Award recipients are required to have at least a 3.5 grade-point average (4.0 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 notable qualifications.
Kingsbury
As a member of the Washington and Lee tennis team, Kingsbury was selected the 2006 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She also is a three-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association scholar-athlete. The two-time all-conference pick set a single-season school record for wins by a freshman with 26.
The dean’s list honoree is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and earned the department of psychology’s Third-Year Award given by the faculty. During her undergraduate studies, Kingsbury maintained a 3.99 grade-point average.
In the community, Kingsbury has been involved with the Washington and Lee Poverty Program since 2005. She also interned with the Rockbridge Area Department of Social Sciences in the Child Protective Services Department and served as a mentor and tutor to middle school and elementary students. In addition, she is a member of the school’s Christian Fellowship, where she took on the role of leadership coordinator.
Kingsbury is scheduled to graduate in June with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She plans to seek a doctorate in the field.
Todd
As Nebraska’s fullback, Todd earned first-team all-Big 12 Conference honors and was named to two CoSIDA academic all-America teams. In his final game, he served as an honorary captain for the Huskers’ Cotton Bowl game against Auburn University. Todd also was a finalist for the Wuerffel Award, an honor that recognizes athletics, academics and community-service achievement.
In the classroom, Todd accumulated a 4.0 grade-point average during his undergraduate studies, earning a degree in biology last May. He was named to the Big 12 honor roll every year and selected to the conference’s academic first team. He is a member of Alpha Tau Omega and was a member of Nebraska’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
For the past year, Todd has been an anatomy and genetics teaching assistant. He also has committed time to the community as a speaker for several youth activities and has visited patients at local rehabilitation hospitals. Todd will attend the University of Nebraska Medical Center to begin working toward a medical degree.
Last year’s Byers Scholars were Anne Bersagel, a runner from Wake Forest University, and Bryan Christopher Norrington, a track and field participant from Colorado College.
The NCAA Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarship Committee is chaired by Lee Meserve, faculty athletics representative at Bowling Green State University. Members of the committee are Elizabeth Wilkes, assistant athletics director for compliance at Wofford College; Anne Woodrick, faculty athletics representative at the University of Northern Iowa; Eugene Hermitte, faculty athletics representative at Johnson C. Smith University; and Jack Ohle, president of Wartburg College.
Kingsbury and Todd were selected from a group of six finalists (three men and three women) and will each receive a $21,500 scholarship from the NCAA. The winners also will have the option of renewing the scholarship for a second year should they remain in excellent academic standing.
The Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarship Program was established in 1988 to recognize the contributions of Walter Byers, the Association’s original executive director, and was developed to encourage excellence in academic performance by student-athletes. A Byers Scholar is recognized as an individual who has combined the best elements of academic and athletic achievement to earn national distinction for his or her accomplishments, and who promises to be a future leader in his or her chosen field.
Award recipients are required to have at least a 3.5 grade-point average (4.0 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 notable qualifications.
Kingsbury
As a member of the Washington and Lee tennis team, Kingsbury was selected the 2006 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She also is a three-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association scholar-athlete. The two-time all-conference pick set a single-season school record for wins by a freshman with 26.The dean’s list honoree is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and earned the department of psychology’s Third-Year Award given by the faculty. During her undergraduate studies, Kingsbury maintained a 3.99 grade-point average.
In the community, Kingsbury has been involved with the Washington and Lee Poverty Program since 2005. She also interned with the Rockbridge Area Department of Social Sciences in the Child Protective Services Department and served as a mentor and tutor to middle school and elementary students. In addition, she is a member of the school’s Christian Fellowship, where she took on the role of leadership coordinator.
Kingsbury is scheduled to graduate in June with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She plans to seek a doctorate in the field.
Todd
As Nebraska’s fullback, Todd earned first-team all-Big 12 Conference honors and was named to two CoSIDA academic all-America teams. In his final game, he served as an honorary captain for the Huskers’ Cotton Bowl game against Auburn University. Todd also was a finalist for the Wuerffel Award, an honor that recognizes athletics, academics and community-service achievement.In the classroom, Todd accumulated a 4.0 grade-point average during his undergraduate studies, earning a degree in biology last May. He was named to the Big 12 honor roll every year and selected to the conference’s academic first team. He is a member of Alpha Tau Omega and was a member of Nebraska’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
For the past year, Todd has been an anatomy and genetics teaching assistant. He also has committed time to the community as a speaker for several youth activities and has visited patients at local rehabilitation hospitals. Todd will attend the University of Nebraska Medical Center to begin working toward a medical degree.
Last year’s Byers Scholars were Anne Bersagel, a runner from Wake Forest University, and Bryan Christopher Norrington, a track and field participant from Colorado College.
The NCAA Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarship Committee is chaired by Lee Meserve, faculty athletics representative at Bowling Green State University. Members of the committee are Elizabeth Wilkes, assistant athletics director for compliance at Wofford College; Anne Woodrick, faculty athletics representative at the University of Northern Iowa; Eugene Hermitte, faculty athletics representative at Johnson C. Smith University; and Jack Ohle, president of Wartburg College.
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