THE FLATS – Georgia Tech’s Joonas Koski (men’s swimming and diving) and Bria Matthews (women’s track & field) were honored Tuesday night at Truist Park at the annual Peach of an Athlete banquet with the top male and female athlete awards by the Atlanta Area Council and Boy Scouts of America. Koski and Matthews were awarded the honors in 2020 prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Koski, who was also named a 2019 honoree of the award, dedicated his collegiate career to making an impact both in and out of the pool. A two-time team captain, Koski served the Atlanta community through various community service activities including the Kyle Pease Foundation, Egleston Children’s Hospital and Big Kid on Campus. A Johns Creek, Ga., native, Koski was also a member of the GT athletics’ inaugural Jackets Without Borders service trip to Costa Rica in 2017 that built a sports court for a community in need. His community service has extended beyond US Borders having also participated with Volunteers Around the World with a dental outreach trip to the Dominican Republic. An Everyday Champion also in the classroom, the biology major has been named to the Georgia Tech Dean’s List, the ACC Academic Honor Roll and is a CSCAA Scholar All-American Honorable Mention.
Matthews, who was named the 2020 Peach of an Athlete Top Female Award winner, has overcome adversity in her collegiate career while continuing to serve others. An all-American and six-time ACC Champion in the triple jump and long jump, Matthews was named the 2016 ACC Freshman of the Year before injury sidelined her for nearly two years. During her time away from the track, Matthews took part in the inaugural Jackets Without Borders service trip to Costa Rica where the Yellow Jackets built a sports court for a local community. She was also a member of the Haiti RELAY which designed a portable solar-powered battery that she helped deliver to local families in Haiti. When she returned to competition, Matthews came back strong and gold medaled in the 2019 ACC Indoor and Outdoor Championships. An academic all-America, Matthews has also received All-ACC Academic honors.
Each year, the Atlanta Area Council and Boy Scouts of America honor student-athletes from the state of Georgia or a college or university in Georgia, who have distinguished themselves by their character, scholastic achievement, academic excellence and community service – characteristics taught every day in the Scouting program. Each year, 10 collegiate student-athletes are recognized as nominees for the award with two receiving the highest honor of Top Female Athlete and Top Male Athlete.
In addition to the collegiate honors, the Atlanta Area Council also recognizes the Calvin Johnson, Jr., Award winner (Samuel Bradley) for an outstanding high school student, Professional Honoree (Grady Jarrett) and Bobby Jones Honoree. The 2020/21 Bobby Jones Award recipient was chairman, president and CEO of Southern Company, Thomas Fanning, who earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in industrial management and was also awarded an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree from Georgia Tech. He currently serves on the Alexander-Tharpe Fund Board of Directors, as well as the advisory board of the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business and the board of trustees of the Georgia Tech Foundation.
About Peach of an Athlete Award
For over 30 years, the Peach of an Athlete Awards Banquet honors athletes and community leaders that hold the same values as Scouting and benefits the programs of Atlanta Area Council and Boy Scouts of America. The Scouting organization takes great pride in recognizing those who serve as good “Role Models for Youth.”
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Support The Swarm Fund, which helps Georgia Tech athletics offset the significant financial challenges associated with Covid-19, and the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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