RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics learned on Tuesday that women's basketball senior Valeria Tapia and baseball postbaccalaureate student Christian Sepulveda are recipients of 2020-21 Academic Momentum Awards, as announced by the Scholar Baller program in conjunction with the Institute for Sport & Social Justice (ISSJ).
 
Top nominations were categorized into three teams based on each student-athlete's academic improvement and the impact each student-athlete's academic performance had on his or her classmates, teammates, academic advisors, and professors. A total of 27 male and female award recipients were selected for the Academic Momentum Award First Team, 18 recipients were chosen for the Academic Momentum Award Second Team, and 23 recipients were selected for the Academic Momentum Award Third Team. Tapia is part of the first team while Sepulveda is part of the third team.
 
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the Scholar Baller® movement evolved in response to concerns that the student-athlete's athletics role increasingly superseded the student role.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 2004, Scholar-Baller made history as the first organization to brand educational logos (ThinkMan^® and ThinkWoman^®) on NCAA and NAIA student-athlete jerseys, helmets, and uniforms during athletic competition. 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 continues to produce unprecedented outcomes in student retention, academic achievement, and career development. This is in part due to the organization's culturally relevant representation(s) of student-athlete academic performance outcomes through imagery and language. Other schools and conferences have imitated the Scholar Baller educational and "graduation stamp" of success on the jerseys and helmets.
 
Each award recipient will receive an official Academic Momentum Award certificate. First Team Academic Momentum Award recipients will also receive a limited edition ThinkMan^® or ThinkWoman^® trophy. Second Team Academic Momentum Award recipients will also receive a limited edition ThinkMan^® and ThinkWoman^® cardholder and a keychain.
 
The Institute for Sport & Social Justice (ISSJ) is a national non-profit organization, on the University of Central Florida campus that utilizes the passion and love for sport to create a safe environment to explore and discuss social justice issues. The mission of ISSJ is to "use the power of sport to effect positive social change. We educate and empower individuals and organizations by inspiring values-based thinking leading to actions that promote social responsibility and equality."
 
The names, schools, majors, and sports of the First Team Academic Momentum Award recipients are:
 
Islam Abudl-Rabb, Lincoln University, Health Science, Football
Caleb Asberry, Texas State University, Interdisciplinary Studies, Basketball
Kam Babb, Ohio State University, Communication, Football
Zoe Barnes, Villanova University, Psychology, Rowing
Diamond Battles, University of Central Florida, Criminal Justice, Basketball
John (JayJay) Chandler, Texas A&M University, University Studies-Leadership, Basketball
Madison Cotta, Mississippi State University, Human Development and Family Science, Soccer
Baylor Cupp, Texas A&M University, University Studies-Leadership, Football
Wyatt Davis, Ohio State University, Communication, Football
Kendall Dearth, Tarleton State University, Business, Football
Nia Dennis, University of California Los Angeles, Sociology, Gymnastics
Golden Eke, University of Louisiana-Lafayette, General Studies; Business Studies, Football; Track & Field
Angel Gonzalez, American International College, Chemistry, Baseball
Donovan Hewitt, Ohio State University, Political Science, Gymnastics
Sarah Hofstetter, Loyola University, Psychology, Rowing
Antwuan Jackson, Ohio State University, Sociology, Football
Dominic Johnson, University of Buffalo, Education Studies, Football
Jaylon Jones, Georgia State University, Human Learning Development, Football
Maya LeBar, University of Utah, Political Science and Social Justice Certificate, Track & Field
Celeste Loughman, University of Texas-San Antonio, MS – Business, Softball
Daniel McKinley-Lewis, University of Toledo, MBA, Football
Grisdey Paredes-Alvarez, Western New Mexico University, Business Management, Softball Juliunn Redmond, Illinois State University, Human Developmental Science, Basketball
Nequareus Roberts-Simon, Livingstone College, Criminal Justice, Track & Field
Dylan Swingle, Bowling Green State University, Sport Management, Basketball
Valeria Tapia, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Spanish Translation, Basketball
DayAndrea Thompson, Baylor University, Film and Digital Media, Acrobatic Tumbling 
 
 
The names, schools, majors, and sports of the Second Team Academic Momentum Award recipients are:
 
Aziza Ayoub, Ohio State University, Biology, Track & Field
Jewel Boland, Southern Methodist University, Applied Physiology and Sport Management Sport Performance Leadership, Soccer
Blair Brooks, University of Louisiana-Lafayette, Kinesiology (Graduate Studies), Football
Milan Brown, University of Alabama-Birmingham, Civil Engineering, Track & Field
TJ Campbell, University of Central Arkansas, Health Education and Behavior Sciences, Football
Channing Chastens, Ohio State University, Communication, Soccer
Gabriel Decamps, University of Central Florida, Communication, Sport Business Minor, Tennis
Madison Hansen, University of Charleston, Public Health, Soccer 
Zach Harrison, Ohio State University, Criminology, Football
Aria Holmes, Tennessee State University, Health Sciences, Volleyball
Maylene Hughes, Occidental College, Critical Theory and Social Justice, Basketball
Chase Keng, University of Texas-San Antonio, Business - Management, Baseball
Teigan O'Donnell, California State University San Marcos, Human Development, Track & Field
Tylen Riley-Coleman, Western New Mexico University, Nursing, Football
Malik Smith, Livingstone College, Business Administration – Accounting, Basketball
Brit Spithaler, Edinboro University, Criminal Justice, Soccer
Ethan Teixeira, American International College, Criminal Justice, Baseball
Mary Thomas, University of Charleston, Exercise Science, Softball
 
The names, schools, majors, and sports of the Third Team Academic Momentum Award recipients are:
Daryn Armstrong, Appalachian State University, Biology, Volleyball
Josh Bankhead, Texas A&M University, University Studies-Leadership, Football
Marvin Bragg, American University, Philosophy, Basketball
Brittney Cummings, Livingstone College, Business Administration, Track & Field
Haskell Garrett, Ohio State University, Human Development and Family Studies, Football
Ana Gonzalez, University of Texas-San Antonio, Psychology, Golf
Jewels Harris, Auburn University, Public Relations, Swimming
Kelsee Holloway, Georgia State University, Psychology, Soccer
Chloe Johnson, Ohio State University, Psychology, Lacrosse
Dawand Jones, Ohio State University, Communication, Football
Jocelyn Jones, Georgia State University, Exercise Science, Soccer
Britney Lovato, Western New Mexico University, Elementary Education, Cross Country
Teradja Mitchell, Ohio State University, Fashion and Retail Studies, Football
Chris Olave, Ohio State University, Consumer Family Financial Services, Football
George Proctor, Georgia State University, Health and Physical Education, Soccer
Gunther Rankenburg, Georgia State University, Marketing, Soccer
Max Rodeny, Ohio State University, Journalism, Fencing
Christian Sepulveda, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Kinesiology, Baseball
Brooke Shields, Ohio State University, Political Science, Cheer
Zaccheus Spann, Virginia Union University, Entrepreneur Management, Golf
Louis Theys, West Carolina University, Mathematics, Golf
Tyquon Wilkins, Virginia State University, Sport Management, Baseball
Alex Wright, Ohio State University, Communication, Golf 

Support UTRGV Athletics | Become a Fan on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Follow us on Instagram | Follow us on YouTube