The University of Akron Athletics
Two UA Athletes Receive National Accolades For Academics
May 26 | Women's Volleyball
AKRON, Ohio - Two University of Akron student-athletes were named 2006 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine. Jennifer Stewart (Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood) and Tim Crouch (Dayton, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne) were both tabbed 2006 Sports Scholars for volleyball and football, respectively.
The magazine established the Sports Scholars Award bacn in 1992 to honor undergraduate students of color who exemplify the standards set by tennis great Arthur Ashe Jr. Each school nominates outstanding student-athletes, and the annual award winners are determined by their roles in athletics, academic excellence and community activism. 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 and in their communities.
Stewart who is a outside hitter for the volleyball team, had the best season of her collegiate career on the floor last season as a sophomore. She was tied for the team lead with 111 games played, while finishing tops on the team with 398 kills. Stewart was also second on the team with 398 digs, 3.59 digs per game, points (435), which is fifth all-time on the program's single-season list, and in points per game (3.92).
She was named Offensive Player of the Year for her squad and named
to the All-Mid-American Conference second-team. She carriesd a 4.0
GPA during the fall season and maintains a 3.7 cumulative GPA in
elementary education.
Crouch, who was tabbed preseason second-team All-Conference by Lindy's magazine, started 11 of 12 games at left tackle for the football team as a junior and was part of an offensive line that produced a 1,000-yard rusher ofr the first time since 2002. He also provided excellent protection for quarterback Luke Getsy (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley/Pittsburgh), allowing him to throw for 3,000 yards, while allowing just 18 sacks, which was the third lowest in the MAC.
Crouch also aided UA in becoming the 31st team in NCAA history with a 1,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard receiver and 1,000-yard rusher in a season. He was voted to the Academic All-MAC team for his 3.7 in-season GPA and cumulative GPA of 3.52 in criminal justice.
Stewart and Crouch were two of six Mid-American Conference student-athletes who were named 2006 Sport Scholars. The other four were Eastern Michigan's Patrice McKinney, Kaila Lee Harris, Bria Woods and Joshua Karanja.
Additional information and other 2006 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars can be found in the April 6 edition of Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.
