April 6, 2017 Fairfax, Va.----- For the second consecutive year, a record number of San Jose State University student-athletes of color were honored as 2017 Arthur Ashe. Jr., Sports Scholars by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.
Twenty-five (25) Spartans from the sports of baseball, women's basketball, men's cross country, football, gymnastics, men's soccer, women's swimming and diving, women's track and field, and women's volleyball fulfilled the award requirements of being a student of color, maintaining at least a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average, have sophomore standing or higher and being active in community activities.
San Jose State's total honorees are two more than the school's 23 award winners in 2016, more than any West Coast college or university, and the most for a Mountain West member.
"We thank Diverse: Issues in Higher Education for honoring our outstanding San Jose State scholar-athletes. To be attached to the legacy of Arthur Ashe, Jr., and what he personified is very meaningful," says Eileen Daley, San Jose State University senior associate athletics director for academics and student support.
"We are proud of the number of student-athletes to earn this award and especially Tim Crawley who was named one of the four finalists for this year's award as the top male sports scholar."
Crawley, one of the most honored student-athletes for academics in San Jose State history, was selected as the top football student-athlete among the 110 honored in his sport. This is the third consecutive year Crawley was honored by the Arthur Ashe, Jr., Sports Scholars program. University of Kentucky soccer player Paul Sime was named the Arthur Ashe, Jr., Male Sports Scholar of the Year.
Besides Crawley, 15 San Jose State student-athletes were honored for a second or third time. Taylor Solorio, a kinesiology major, received her third Arthur Ashe, Jr., Sports Scholar recognition as a first-team women's swimming and diving team honoree.
Now in its 25th year, the awards program is named in honor of Arthur Ashe, Jr. (1943-1993), an African-American men's Wimbledon and U.S. Open tennis champion who devoted much of his adult life to identifying and providing solutions to end discrimination in all facets of life.
Name Sport Major
Megan Au Swimming & Diving â€" Second Team Undeclared
Paris Baird Women's Basketball â€" First Team Psychology
** Brenna Bushey Women's Swimming & Diving â€" Second Team Public Relations
** Jade Childs Women's Track & Field â€" Fourth Team Business Management
** Jonathan Colunga Men's Soccer â€" Second Team Spanish
** Tim Crawley Football â€" Male National Finalist Business Management Information Systems
** Kylie Fonseca Women's Swimming & Diving â€" First Team Psychology
** Chris Gonzalez Football â€" Fourth Team Business Accounting
Chandler Hawkins Football â€" Third Team Kinesiology
** Jamie Hirai Volleyball â€" First Team Business Accounting
** Nicole Ilonaya Women's Track & Field â€" Third Team Political Science
** Kelsey Johnson-Upshaw Women's Track & Field Kinesiology
** Myzhanique Ladd Women's Basketball â€" Honorable Mention Radio, TV & Film
** Alex Manigo Football â€" Fourth Team Business Management Information Systems
Josh Nashed Baseball â€" Third Team Business
Josh Oliver Football â€" Fourth Team Undeclared
Jonathan Partida Men's Socccer â€"Second Team Hospitality Management
Stephanie Relova Women's Gymnastics â€" Second Team Business Management
Raul Rodarte Men's Cross Country â€" Third Team Communication Studies
** Julie Sam Volleyball â€" First Team Hospitality, Tourism & Event Management
*** Taylor Solorio Women's Swimming & Diving â€" First Team Kinesiology
** Jack Veasey Baseball â€" Second Team International Business
** Rachol West Women's Basketball â€" Third Team Early Childhood Education
** Kaitlin Won Women's Gymnastics â€" Second Team Kinesiology
Jeanette Zambrano Women's Track & Field â€" Fifth Team Kinesiology
** - two-time award winner
*** - three-time award winner