June 17, 2008
NORMAL, Ill. -
Six Illinois State student-athletes received Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar Awards, presented by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education magazine. Women's basketball players Brea Banks and Tiffany Hudson, football player Kedric Meredith, women's soccer player Raquel Rattray and track sprinters Carl Azab and Anna Lovell were all recipients of the prestigious honor named after the legendary tennis player and activist.
Banks was a first-team selection for the second-consecutive year in women's basketball. She appeared in 28 games this past season, averaging 2.0 points per game (ppg). She had a career-high seven rebounds against DePaul and followed that performance with a career-best 13 points against Loyola. Banks carries a 3.68 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) in psychology and was on the AFNI Athletics Honor Roll both semesters. She received the MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award and was named to the MVC Honor Roll this past season.
Hudson was a third-team women's basketball member after earning a fourth-team honor in 2007. She appeared in every game this past season, with 26 starts, and averaged 9.0 ppg. She recorded 13 double-digit scoring games, including a career-high 24 points against Eastern Michigan. She averaged 3.3 assists per game and ranked 21st in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.72). Hudson has a 3.37 cumulative GPA in her double-major of public relations and recreation and park administration and management. She received the MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award and was named to the MVC Honor Roll this past season.
Meredith received his first-career Arthur Ashe Award as a third-team honoree in football. He started all 11 games for ISU last season and caught 11 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns. He was an instrumental part of a Redbird running game that amassed 2,194 yards on the season, the seventh-highest mark in school history. Meredith has a 3.34 cumulative GPA in accounting and was a member of the AFNI Athletics Honor Roll in both semesters last year.
Rattray was named to the women's soccer third team, the first honor of her career. She was a First-Team All-Valley selection after appearing in all 18 games for the Redbirds with 15 starts. She helped guide ISU to the Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship by contributing to a defense that posted a 0.93 goals against average and recorded seven shutouts. Rattray holds a 3.6 cumulative GPA in English, was an MVC Scholar-Athlete First-Team selection, was named to the MVC Honor Roll and was named to the AFNI Athletics Honor Roll both semesters last season.
Azab was a third-team selection in men's track and field. He placed fifth in the 400-meter hurdles at the State Farm MVC Outdoor Track and Field Championships with a time of 54.70 seconds. Azab, who has a 3.32 cumulative GPA in physical education, was an MVC Track and Field Scholar-Athlete selection, received the MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award, and was named to the MVC Honor Roll this past season. He was named to the AFNI Athletics Honor Roll both semesters.
Lovell was named to the third team in women's track and field for the second-consecutive year. She recorded top-five finishes at the MVC Outdoor Championships in the 200- (24.19) and 400-meters (55.31) as well as the long jump (18-11.75 feet). All of those performances were season-bests. She was also a member of the 4x100 relay team that took first place and advanced to the NCAA Mideast regional with a time of 46.19. Lovell, who has a 3.43 cumulative GPA in speech pathology and audiology, was an MVC Track and Field Scholar-Athlete selection, received the MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award, and was named to the MVC Honor Roll this past season. She was named to the AFNI Athletics Honor Roll both semesters.
Diverse: Issues In Higher Education established the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars Awards in 1992 to honor undergraduate students of color who excel both academically and athletically. In addition to their athletic ability, Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars must exhibit academic excellence and community activism. To be included, student-athletes have to compete in an intercollegiate sport, have completed at least one academic year of course work, be enrolled for the fall term of 2007, maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2 and be active on their campuses and/or their communities.
