National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

November 17, 1997

NACDA awards scholarships to preseason football participants

The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Foundation will provide a special scholarship grant to one member of each team that participated in the 1997 Kickoff Classic and Pigskin Classic, the two NACDA-sponsored preseason football games.

NACDA President Vincent J. Dooley, athletics director at the University of Georgia, made the announcement November 5.

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 grade-point average of at least 3.000 (4.000 scale). NACDA's charitable arm, the NACDA Foundation, provides the funds for the scholarships, which are for 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," Dooley said. "This furthers the NACDA Foundation's commitment to providing advanced educational opportunities for student-athletes."

In 1997, Northwestern University defeated the University of Oklahoma, 24-0, in Pigskin Classic VIII, while Syracuse University stopped the University of Wisconsin, Madison, 34-0, in Kickoff Classic XV.

Winners of the 1997 scholarship grants are:

  • Stephen Alexander, management information systems major at Oklahoma, tight end.

  • Keith Downing, biology major at Syracuse, quarterback.

  • Benjamin McCormick, biology major at Wisconsin, quarterback.

  • Jason Ross, materials science and engineering major at Northwestern, linebacker.

    Alexander is Oklahoma's all-time pass receptions leader for tight ends. He is ranked fifth on the squad's all-time list for career catches after entering his final season as the seventh leading receiver with 1,141 yards. He was a finalist for the 1994 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award. He was one of the leading tight ends in the Big 12 Conference last year and was named third-team all-Big 12. In 1995, he earned first-team all-Big Eight honors and led the squad in receptions (43) and receiving yards (580). His plans include pursuing a master's degree in business administration.

    Downing received the Arthur Ashe Sports Scholar Award from Black Issues in Higher Education in 1996 and 1997. He was named to the GTE/CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) Academic All-District team in 1996 and received the Syracuse athletics department's Outstanding Achievement Award in Biology in 1997. He also received the Bill Maxwell Award for being the most-improved Syracuse offensive player in 1996. Downing is currently pursuing an master of public administration degree and will then attend medical school.

    McCormick was named to the dean's list in 1996 at Wisconsin. A one-year letterwinner, McCormick is a boys' basketball official and volunteer for student field trips. He intends to teach high school and later pursue a master's degree.

    Ross was named to the dean's list and was in the materials science and engineering honors program at Northwestern. He is president of the Materials Science Club and a member of Theta Chi fraternity. Ross intends to pursue a master's degree in materials science and engineering.

    The student-athletes will be honored at NACDA's 33rd annual convention June 14-17 in Marco Island, Florida, during the annual Scholarship Awards Luncheon. The NACDA Foundation teams with the NACDA Preseason Football Games Committee in the presentation of 10 more $5,000 scholarships for student-athletes and 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 $7.1 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. These two games annually generate $420,000 in scholarships.