June 29, 2007
NORMAL, Ill. -
Illinois State basketball players Brea Banks and Tiffany Hudson and track sprinter Anna Lovell have been honored as 2007 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholars by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education magazine. Banks was a first team selection and Hudson was named to the fourth team for women's basketball, and Lovell was a third team women's track and field honoree. It is the first award for all three student-athletes.
Banks, a junior forward, appeared in 13 games last season. The Richland Park, Ill. native is majoring in psychology and has a 3.82 cumulative grade point average, including a 4.00 mark in the Fall 2006 semester. She has been on the AFNI Honor Roll all four semesters at Illinois State. She was one of 15 first team selections.
Hudson, a senior guard, appeared in all 33 games for the Redbirds last season, with 11 starts. In the team's fifth game against Chicago State, she recorded career-highs with 18 points and nine assists. She has played in the most games of any other player on the Illinois State roster (92) and her career assist-turnover ratio (1.24) puts her in a tie for seventh place on the Illinois State career list. The Naperville, Ill. native is majoring in public relations, owns a 3.38 cumulative GPA and has been on the AFNI Honor Roll every semester.
"This is a tremendous honor for both Brea and Tiffany," head coach Robin Pingeton said. "It is great to see their hard work in the classroom be recognized at this level. They are both very diligent student athletes and take great pride in their success in the classroom and on the court."
Lovell, a senior sprinter, received All-Missouri Valley Conference recognition in the indoor 60-meters and 400-meters, as well as outdoor 400-meters and 4x100 relay. She placed second in the 400-meters at both the Indoor and Outdoor MVC Championships last season. She was also a member of the 4x100 relay team that took first place at the State Farm MVC Outdoor Championships with a school record time of 45.29 seconds. She has won five Valley championships in her career and is also a member of the school record holding 4x400 relay team. The Holder Hills, Barbados native is majoring in psychology and carries a 3.39 cumulative GPA, including a 3.63 mark in the Fall 2006 semester. She has been on the AFNI Honor Roll all six semesters at Illinois State.
"Anna is an athlete who does well both in the classroom and on the track," head coach Elvis Forde said. "To see Anna win these kind of awards is not surprising because I expect it from her. I try not to become complacent because she is one of those kids who can continue to excel if we push her. She has performed well in the classroom over the past three years and deserves this award. We expect her success to continue."
Inspired by the late tennis legend's commitment to education as well as his love for the game of tennis, the Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholars Award was established to honor undergraduate students of color who have made an impact both in their sport and in the classroom. In order to be eligible for the award, student-athletes must participate in an intercollegiate sport, maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2 and be active on their campuses or in their communities.
