June 1, 2011
NORMAL, Ill. -
Illinois State senior Skip Span has been chosen as the recipient of the 2011-12 Benoni Green Endowed Scholarship.
A native of Sommers, New York, Span has collected 53 singles victories in his Redbird career, along with 37 wins on the doubles court. Last season, Span posted overall records of 16-10 in singles and 9-4 in doubles, while recording a perfect 9-0 mark at No. 5 singles on the season, including a 5-0 record in Missouri Valley Conference play.
Head coach Cris James believes this is a well-deserved award for Span.
"When I look every year at who I'm going to nominate for the Benoni Green Endowed Scholarship, I look for the person who is the most dedicated in the classroom and maximizing their potential on the court," James said. "That is what I saw in Skip during the recruiting process, and he has matured into the type of person I thought he would become. Skip is the epitome of what we look for in a student-athlete and he is extremely deserving of this honor."
Span is well aware of Green and the impact he has had on the tennis community.
"I'm grateful to be receiving the Benoni Green Endowed Scholarship," Span said. "I have heard a lot about Benoni Green, and his friends, who made this financial commitment to Illinois State. I consider myself fortunate to be able to compete at such a high level of NCAA Division I tennis and I will continue to work harder and do my best for Redbird athletics."
Established in 1998, the Benoni Green Endowed Scholarship is presented annually to an ISU men's tennis player. The endowment was funded by friends of Green, the former Redbird tennis player who competed at Illinois State prior to World War II. A 1942 graduate, Green was a two-time conference champion and was named to the Illinois State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1973.
Green was the principal advocate for tennis in Bloomington-Normal for several decades. He organized matches and often rewarded competitors with treats from Nestle-Beich, where he was a manager. He also played a role in the Bloomington Parks and Recreation and Evergreen Racquet Club junior development tennis programs.
First awarded in 1999, the Benoni Green Scholarship is one of 23 endowed scholarships available to Illinois State student-athletes that are funded by private donors. For more information about establishing an endowed scholarship, please call the Weisbecker Scholarship Fund office at (309) 438-3803.
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