Finalist ReleaseFairfax, Va.- Queens University of Charlotte men's soccer player
Corey Brown was named a 2016 finalist for the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award as announced by the Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine on March 17, 2016. Brown, a junior soccer player, ranks among the top four male applicants out of a pool of 1,000 combined male and female student-athlete nominees, expanding across 36 sports. Brown was also named the men's soccer sport's winner, earning the nod as the top individual men's soccer player nominated.
Brown led the team in three statistical categories over the season taking top in goals, assists, and points. Starting in every game over the course of the year, Brown tallied nine goals and 11 assists for 29 points. He took the second highest mark in the conference across all three categories. At the conclusion of the season, Brown had scored five game-winning goals and tabbed three five-point games. His performance on the field landed him on the Division II Collegiate Commissioner's Association All-Southeast Region Second Team and the South Atlantic Conference All-Conference First-Team.
With the addition of his academic success and accumulating a 3.95 GPA in biochemistry, Brown was named to the Academic All-American First-Team, CoSIDA All-District Team, and was named the South Atlantic Conference Scholar Athlete for men's soccer. He added three InterCon Male Student-Athlete of the Month awards to his list in addition to claiming the SAC AstroTurf men's soccer player of the week, twice.
Brown is a member of the school's Emerging Leaders program as well as engaged in Milestone Ministries. He has volunteered with Mount Sinai Hospital and North York General Hospital, shadowing at both place. Brown also serves as a Power Soccer Coach helping to teach the next generation the game of soccer.
The top 4 male and female finalists are:
Male Finalist
- Corey Brown, Soccer, Queens University of Charlotte, Biochemistry
- Marcus Paige, Basketball, University of North Carolina, Media and Journalism, History
- Paul Pitts III, Football, San Diego State University, Master's, Liberal Arts & Science
- Alex Poythress, Basketball, University of Kentucky, Marketing
Female Finalist
- Andraya Carter, Basketball, University of Tennessee, Kinesiology
- Alyssa Domico, Softball, Dominican University, Neuroscience
- Nandi Mehta, Soccer, Northwestern University, Economics & International Studies
In 1992, Black Issues In Higher Education magazine, now Diverse, established the Sports Scholars Awards to honor undergraduate students of color who exemplify the standards set by tennis great Arthur Ashe Jr.
A scholar and athlete, Ashe sought to expand opportunities for young people. Each year Diverse invites every postsecondary institution in the country to participate in this awards program by nominating their outstanding sports scholars. In addition to their athletic ability, students named Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars must exhibit academic excellence as well as community activism.
To be included, 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 or in their communities. The NCAA Office of Inclusion has partnered with Diverse to support this standout class of scholar athletes. Approximately 1,000 male and female students from across the country were nominated.
Past recipients of the award include: Baylor University's (2011) Robert Griffin III, Heisman Trophy winner and former Washington Redskins quarterback; the University of Tennessee's (2003) Kara Lawson, ESPN analyst who played for the WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs; San Diego State University's (1993) Marshall Faulk, NFL Hall of Famer; and the University of Kansas' (1996) Jaque Vaughn, head coach of the NBA's Orlando Magic.
Diverse: Issues In Higher Education is the nation's only news magazine dedicated exclusively to diversity issues in higher education. Visit www.DiverseEducation.com
