COLLEGE STATION, Texas – After making enormous strides on the court and in the classroom, Texas A&M men's basketball sophomore Tonny Trocha-Morelos has been honored with the Academic Momentum Award, presented by the Scholar Baller program in conjunction with the National Consortium of Academics and Sports (NCAS).
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After waiting nearly two seasons to make his first appearance on the court for the Aggies, the Cartagena, Colombia, native is making the most of his opportunities at Texas A&M and proving to be a true example of perseverance. Majoring in University Studies, with an emphasis in business and ag leadership, he has earned a spot on the Athletic Director's Honor each of the last three semesters while putting up an impressive 3.5 GPA during the fall of 2015 and maintaining an overall GPA well over 3.0.
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On the court, the second-year center played in all 37 games during the Aggies' SEC Championship 2016-17 season, averaging 7.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per contest while contributing 37 assists, 23 blocked shots and 15 steals. Trocha-Morelos shot 46.2 percent from the field and, after not making a 3-point basket as a freshman, knocked down 30 long range jumpers in his second season.
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Additionally, Trocha-Morelos has taken on a leadership role within the team, being an active participant in the team's many community service endeavors and serving as the team's representative for the Texas A&M Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
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Nominations for the Academic Momentum Award were categorized 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. The award recognizes student-athletes who have demonstrated momentous academic improvements in their collegiate careers.
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Established in 1995, the Scholar Baller movement evolved in response to concerns that the student-athlete's athletics roles increasingly superseded the student role.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.
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After waiting nearly two seasons to make his first appearance on the court for the Aggies, the Cartagena, Colombia, native is making the most of his opportunities at Texas A&M and proving to be a true example of perseverance. Majoring in University Studies, with an emphasis in business and ag leadership, he has earned a spot on the Athletic Director's Honor each of the last three semesters while putting up an impressive 3.5 GPA during the fall of 2015 and maintaining an overall GPA well over 3.0.
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On the court, the second-year center played in all 37 games during the Aggies' SEC Championship 2016-17 season, averaging 7.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per contest while contributing 37 assists, 23 blocked shots and 15 steals. Trocha-Morelos shot 46.2 percent from the field and, after not making a 3-point basket as a freshman, knocked down 30 long range jumpers in his second season.
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Additionally, Trocha-Morelos has taken on a leadership role within the team, being an active participant in the team's many community service endeavors and serving as the team's representative for the Texas A&M Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
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Nominations for the Academic Momentum Award were categorized 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. The award recognizes student-athletes who have demonstrated momentous academic improvements in their collegiate careers.
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Established in 1995, the Scholar Baller movement evolved in response to concerns that the student-athlete's athletics roles 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.