Griffin Named Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar

Freshman Basketball Player Earns National Academic Award

St. Louis, Mo. – Missouri-St. Louis freshman basketball player Jonathan Griffin (St. Louis, Mo./Normandy) was recently honored by being named an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar for the 2002-03 school year. Griffin was named a third-team selection and one of 27 players across all college divisions, and one of just five in NCAA Division II, to earn the award. This is the second academic award for Griffin, who was also named a GLVC Academic All-Conference selection.

Griffin made an immediate impact on for the Rivermen last season in his first full year playing at UMSL. Griffin was second on the team in scoring at 8.8 points per game and led the team in rebounding with 5.7 per game and 137 boards on the season. He played in 24 of the teams 27 games, starting in 19, and averaged over 25 minutes per game. Griffin was second on the team with 29 steals and third with 23 assists.

The Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Awards were established in 1993 by Black Issues in Higher Education to honor undergraduate students of color who have made achieving academically and athletically a winning combination. In addition to their athletic ability, Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars must exhibit academic excellence as well as community activism. To be included, students must compete in an intercollegiate sport, maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2 and be active on their campus or communities.