FAIRFAX, Va. - Fifteen Texas State student-athletes representing seven sports received 2018 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Awards for their athletic ability, academic performance, community service and student leadership by Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine.
 
Inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe, Jr.'s commitment to education as well as his excellence on the tennis courts, the magazine invites U.S. colleges and universities to nominate their outstanding sports scholars. In addition to their athletic ability and academic performance, Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars demonstrate a commitment to community service and student leadership. The selection criteria for the annual Sports Scholars teams is that they must be a student-athlete of color, be an active member of an intercollegiate team, maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2 and have a demonstrated record of service to the campus or in the community.
 
This year more than 1,000 student-athletes were nominated and Texas State's 2018 Arthur Ashe Sport Scholar Award winners include First Team selections Joy Chia Ming Ming and Ana Perez in women's tennis.
 
The Second-Team honorees were Gabe Loyd in football, T'Mond Johnson in men's track and field, Sean Yi Yip in women's golf, Genesis Turman in women's soccer, softball players Christiana McDowell and Jaelyn Young, Julia Navajo-Melendez in women's tennis and Kylah Smith in women's track and field.
 
Third Team recipients were Nijal Pearson in men's basketball, Eric Luna and Anthony J. Taylor in football, and Jose Angel Gonzalez of the men's track and field team. Mylana Hearn was named Honorable Mention in women's track and field.