A Winning Combination: Academics & Athletics

Black Issues In Higher Education established the Sports Scholars Awards to honor undergraduate students of color who have made achieving academically and athletically a winning combination. Inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe Jr.'s commitment to education as well as his love for the game of tennis, each year we invite every postsecondary institution in the country to participate in this awards program by nominating their outstanding sports scholars. In addition to their athletic ability, 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 communities.

The following pages feature student-athletes who are charging ahead with academics and athletics. Two of these scholar-athletes — basketball player Kara Lawson of the University of Tennessee and track and field athlete Nathan Irvin of the University of California-Riverside were selected as Sports Scholars of the Year for best exemplifying the standards of scholarship, athleticism and humanitarianism.

Black Issues In Higher Education remembers Arthur Ashe Jr. on this 10th anniversary of his death, and salutes Kara and Nathan and all of the 2002 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars.

The honorees are listed alphabetically and within teams on the following pages.