FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA—Diverse: Issues in Higher Education established the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars Awards to honor undergraduate students of color who best exemplify academic and athletic achievement and six Texas A&M student-athletes, Jazzmin Babers from volleyball, Alex Sezer Jr. from football, Tori Vidales from softball, Esther Gonzalez from women's swimming and diving along with Tarik Tyler and Jeffrey Prothro from men's track and field have been honored.
The award is inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe Jr.'s commitment to education and excellence on the tennis court. Students have to compete in an intercollegiate sport, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or more and be at least a sophomore academically as well as being active on their campuses and/or in their communities.
Babers, a team captain who earned All-SEC honors, excelled on the volleyball court starting all 122 matches in her career and became the all-time career record holder in total blocks and block assists. Her career hitting percentage of .370 ranks second on the school record list. In addition to being a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and a member of the SEC Community Service Team, Babers was a first-team Senior CLASS Award All-American. Babers was named a first-team member of the volleyball Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar team as well as being a semi-finalist for the overall Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar Award.
Sezer was a senior captain on the Aggie football team and was honored by his teammates with the Aggie Heart Award. Sezer was also named the special teams MVP for the squad. Sezer was named to the first-team Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar football team.
Vidales was a first-team All-SEC selection as a junior as well as earning All-America honors on the diamond. She led the team with a .406 batting average while hitting 14 homers and 55 RBI. This spring, Vidales leads the team with 14 homers and is second in RBI with 40. Vidales was named a third-team member of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar softball team.
Gonzalez has qualified for the NCAA Championships twice and earned first-team All-America honors in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2016. She was a team captain and Gonzalez was named to the second-team of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar swimming and diving squad.
Tyler competed in the 400 meter, 800 meter and 1,000 meter for the Aggies and also contributed to the 4X400 and distance medley relays. Tyler was named to the fourth-team of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar track and field unit.
Prothro was Texas A&M's male nominee for the 2017 SEC H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete of the Year and recently won the triple jump at the SEC Relays. Over his career with the Aggies, Prothro has produced 13 victories amid a total of 22 top three finishes in the triple jump. Prothro was an honorable mention member of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar track and field team.
The award is inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe Jr.'s commitment to education and excellence on the tennis court. Students have to compete in an intercollegiate sport, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or more and be at least a sophomore academically as well as being active on their campuses and/or in their communities.
Babers, a team captain who earned All-SEC honors, excelled on the volleyball court starting all 122 matches in her career and became the all-time career record holder in total blocks and block assists. Her career hitting percentage of .370 ranks second on the school record list. In addition to being a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and a member of the SEC Community Service Team, Babers was a first-team Senior CLASS Award All-American. Babers was named a first-team member of the volleyball Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar team as well as being a semi-finalist for the overall Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar Award.
Sezer was a senior captain on the Aggie football team and was honored by his teammates with the Aggie Heart Award. Sezer was also named the special teams MVP for the squad. Sezer was named to the first-team Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar football team.
Vidales was a first-team All-SEC selection as a junior as well as earning All-America honors on the diamond. She led the team with a .406 batting average while hitting 14 homers and 55 RBI. This spring, Vidales leads the team with 14 homers and is second in RBI with 40. Vidales was named a third-team member of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar softball team.
Gonzalez has qualified for the NCAA Championships twice and earned first-team All-America honors in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2016. She was a team captain and Gonzalez was named to the second-team of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar swimming and diving squad.
Tyler competed in the 400 meter, 800 meter and 1,000 meter for the Aggies and also contributed to the 4X400 and distance medley relays. Tyler was named to the fourth-team of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar track and field unit.
Prothro was Texas A&M's male nominee for the 2017 SEC H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete of the Year and recently won the triple jump at the SEC Relays. Over his career with the Aggies, Prothro has produced 13 victories amid a total of 22 top three finishes in the triple jump. Prothro was an honorable mention member of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar track and field team.