Ian Silberman Named a Recipient of Academic Momentum Award
Tuesday, February 5, 2013 | Football
University of Florida offensive lineman Ian Silberman was named one of 28 first team recipients of the Academic Momentum Award, announced last week by the Scholar Baller program, in conjunction with the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS). Florida softball player Ensley Gammel was also a third team recipient of the award.
Eighty-nine nominations were received from 30 different colleges and universities across the country. The nominations were divided into three teams based on the level of academic improvement and the impact of that academic momentum on each nominee and his or her peers. A total of 28 male and female award recipients from the NCAS schools were chosen for team one, 17 recipients were chosen for team two and 19 recipients for the third team.
The names, schools, majors, and sports of the FIRST TEAM Academic Momentum Award recipients are:
James Putney, New England College, Lacrosse, Business Administration
Tanner Collins, UC San Diego, Cross Country, Biochemistry
Cassie Rochel, University of Wisconsin, Basketball, Gender and Women's Studies
Lindsey Lamar, University of South Florida, Football, Communication
Cody Compton, University of Nebraska-?‐Lincoln, Wrestling, Sociology
Molly Thomas, University of Nebraska-?‐Lincoln, Soccer, Child Youth and Family Studies
Sarie Morrison, Louisiana State University, Gymnastics, Sport Administration
Adrian Bushell, University of Louisville, Football, Administration of Justice
David Najem, Columbia University, Soccer, Political Science
Jeremy Smith, Oklahoma State University, Football, Education
Greg Nwoko, University of Arizona, Football, Science, Technology, Health and Society
Randell Johnson, Florida Atlantic University, Football, Interdisciplinary Studies: Arts and Humanities
Christopher Colvin, Arizona State University, Basketball, Sociology
Carlton Falconer, Florida Atlantic University, Football, Criminal Justice
Emily Gniatczyk, University of Illinois at Chicago, Swimming, Psychology
Victor Oladipo, Indiana University, Basketball, Sport Communication/Broadcasting
Alex Zurn, Gettysburg College, Basketball, Sociology
Tobais Palmer, North Carolina State University, Football, Sport Management
Brandon Jones, Rutgers University, Football, Labor & Employment Relations
Vanessa Petrini, Rutgers University, Tennis, Communications
Shanay Portis, University of Cincinnati, Track and Field, Criminal Justice
Megan Klement, St. John's University, Soccer, School Psychology
Ray Turner, Texas A&M University, Basketball, Agricultural Leadership and Development
Jeff Baca, UCLA, Football, Political Science
Ty‐Meer Brown, University of Connecticut, Football, Sociology
Ian Silberman, University of Florida, Football, Family Youth & Community Sciences
Michael Murphy, Monmouth University, Football, Health Studies
SECOND TEAM Academic Momentum Award recipients are:
Lola Arslanbekova, University of Louisville, Volleyball, Communication
Natalie Nimmo, University of Ole Miss, Softball, Journalism
Josh Greene, CSU Northridge, Basketball, Recreation &Tourism Management
Caroline Kuczynski, Arizona State University, Swimming, Interdisciplinary Studies
Danny Pulliam, Northern Illinois University, Basketball, Family, Consumer and Nutrition Sciences
David Hinds, Florida Atlantic University, Football, Criminal Justice
Shakeia Pinnick, Arizona State University, Track and Field, Family and Human Development
Matthew Hurst, St. John's University, Lacrosse, Advertising Communications
Daniel Shirey, Villanova University, Football, Communications
Alexandra Lowe, Villanova University, Softball, Communications
Alisha Filmore, Southern Methodist University, Basketball, Psychology
Joshua Jenkins, West Virginia University, Football, Multidisciplinary Studies
Stormy Nesbit, West Virginia University, Track, Art and Graphic Design
Jonathan Mathis, Texas A&M University, Football, Agricultural Leadership and Development
Kaitlyn Aldrich, University of Connecticut, Lacrosse, Psychology
Kelly Newcomb, University of South Carolina, Track and Field/Cross Country, Public Relations
Branden Todd, Florida International University, Track and Field, Business Administration
THIRD TEAM Academic Momentum Award recipients are:
John Dickson, Virginia Tech, Wrestling, Business Information Technology
Russ Smith, University of Louisville, Basketball, Communication
Jessica Gehrke, Florida International University, Track and Field, Sand Volleyball, Sports and Fitness
Josh Reese, University of Central Florida, Football, Sport and Exercise Science
Harry Adams, Auburn University, Track, Sociology
Andrew Incho, Canisius College, Soccer, Communications
Erica Winston, University of Central Florida, Track and Field, Interpersonal Organizational Communication
Cristina Sanchez-Quintanar, Texas A&M University, Tennis, International Studies
Sandra Jean-Roman, Monmouth University, Track and Field, Anthropology
Sam Kernan-Schloss, Brown University, Soccer, Community Health & Economics
Stephanie Thompson, Brown University, Softball, Neuroscience
Ensley Ann Gammel, University of Florida, Softball, Family, Youth, & Community Services
Camille Everett, University of Central Florida, Varsity Rowing, Interdisciplinary Studies
Michael Wilder, UC Irvine, Men's Varsity Basketball, Psychology and Social Behavior
Mar Rodriguez, UC Irvine, Varsity Women's Soccer, Sociology
Kelly Meggs, UC Irvine, Varsity Women's Basketball, Psychology
Hannah Croghan, UC Irvine, Women's Water Polo, Public Health Policy
Ashley Rivera, Texas A&M Kingsville, Golf, Environmental Engineer
Jake Rouser, Idaho State University, Football, Business Management
This year's nominations included stories of overcoming past academic failures; transferring schools in the middle of a season; leaving his or her hometown and still exemplifying leadership while inspiring peers and teammates to do the same; overcoming the adversity of being injured and channeling their energy into academics; being an international student who had to persevere through hardships both academically and culturally; and participating in local community service initiatives.
The NCAS is an ever-?‐growing organization of colleges and universities that provides opportunities for current and former student-?‐athletes to continue their pursuit of higher education, while working in the community with children to address social issues. Established in 1985, the overall mission of the NCAS is “to create a better society by focusing on educational attainment and using the power appeal of sport to positively affect social change.”
Established in 1995, the Scholar Baller movement evolved in response to concerns that the student-athlete's athletics role increasingly superseded the student role. In order to address this issue, the founding members of Scholar Baller developed a groundbreaking program to bridge the gap between education and sport utilizing student-athletes' passion for entertainment and athletics. As a result, the Scholar Baller program has produced unprecedented outcomes in student retention and academic achievement. Each award recipient will receive a recognition certificate; the second and first team will also receive an authentic Scholar Baller medal. All nominees who made the first team will also receive a ThinkMan/ThinkWoman trophy. All nominees are individually and collectively a testament to the “student” in “student-?‐athlete.” Their commitment to academics and athletics is truly an inspiration.
