THE FLATS – Two Georgia Tech student-athletes, Bria Matthews and Alex Grady, have been named both semifinalists and team winners for the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award presented by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.
Matthews and Grady were two of 40 semifinalists, 20 male and 20 female student-athletes, selected from a pool of more than 1,000 nominees. Both were picked as the top track and field candidates and distinguished as team winners.
Matthews earned first team All-American honors and was named ACC Freshman of the Year honors in her first indoor season while winning conference titles in the long jump and triple jump. Last spring, the Georgia-native was named a first team all-conference outdoor performer after setting school records in the long jump and triple jump. Last summer, Matthews competed in the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials finishing 12th in the triple jump finals.
Grady, a senior, is competing in his third track season and recently set a personal best in the one mile with a time of 4:18.64. In his career, the Covington, Ga. has secured top-15 finishes in the 3000m Steeple Chase at both the ACC Outdoor Championships and the Florida Relays. Beyond the track, the senior distance runner received the inaugural Ultimate Haier Achievement Award after logging the most community service hours in the country. Presently, Grady is the president-elect of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee.
A scholar and athlete, Ashe sought to expand opportunities for young people. Each year Diverse: Issues In Higher Education 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 maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.2; and be active on their campuses or in their community.
The winners will be profiled in the April edition of Diverse: Issues in Higher Education published in three weeks.
