SoCon Announces 2010-11 Graduate Scholars

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Southern Conference announced today (March 23) its eight postgraduate scholarship recipients for the 2010-11 academic year.  The eight student athletes will be honored for their accomplishments at the Southern Conference Honors Dinner in Charleston, S.C. on Wednesday, June 1.

This year's honorees include Dave Hart Graduate Scholarship recipient Matt Leeds (College of Charleston), Dorothy Hicks Graduate Scholarship recipient Allison Drutchas (Davidson), David Knight Graduate Scholarship recipient Callan Elswick (Davidson), William V. Moore Graduate Scholarship presented by McMillan/Pazdan/Smith recipient Jessica Maas (The Citadel), Bob McCloskey Insurance Graduate Scholarship recipients Courtney Barnes (Chattanooga) and Michael Schecter (Wofford) and Southern Conference Graduate Scholarship recipients Ina Ables (Samford) and Jake Ware (Georgia Southern). 

Matt Leeds, College of Charleston - Dave Hart Graduate Scholar
College of Charleston's Matt Leeds has been named the 2011 recipient of the Dave Hart Graduate Scholarship, named in memory of former Southern Conference Commissioner, Dave Hart, Sr.  A baseball player at CofC majoring in accounting, Leeds carries a 3.93 grade point average.  The 2010 SoCon Player of the Year, Leeds was a third-team All-American for the Cougars last season and was named to the Academic All-District team.  In addition, he has volunteered for the Charleston Miracle Leaders Group.  Following graduation, Leeds plans to pursue a Master of Business Administration.

Allison Drutchas, Davidson - Dorothy Hicks Graduate Scholar
Named after the Southern Conference's first female faculty athletics representative, the Dorothy Hicks Graduate Scholarship has been awarded to Davidson's Allison Drutchas for 2011.  A member of the women's soccer team at Davidson, Drutchas carries a 3.98 grade point average in philosophy.  A three-time winner of the Southern Conference Commissioner's Medal and a three-time member of the league's all-academic team, Drutchas was a 2010 Rhodes Scholarship Finalist.  She was named to the All-Academic First Team in District III by ESPN/CoSIDA last fall and was a recipient of a Davidson Research Initiative Independent Research Grant.  In 2009 she earned the Coleman Lew Leadership Award from the Southern Conference and was named second team all-conference last fall.  She plans to begin law school next year.

Callan Elswick, Davidson - David Knight Graduate Scholar
Callan Elswick, a four-year letterwinner on the Davidson women's soccer team, has been awarded the David Knight Graduate Scholarship, named after the late Dr. David Knight, the long-time faculty athletics representative at UNCG.  She has been named Phi Beta Kappa and has earned distinction from Omicron Delta Kappa this year.  A three-time member of the SoCon's Academic All-Conference Team, she was named to the LOWE'S Senior Class All-Senior All-American First Team last fall.  During her four years at Davidson she has volunteered with a variety of community service groups including the Davidson in Mwandi Program, 198 Youth Health Centre, Serenity House, Campaign for Migrant Worker Justice and the Migration and Globalization Program.  A Latino studies major who carries a 3.90 GPA, Elswick plans to begin medical school this fall.

Jessica Maas, The Citadel - William V. Moore Graduate Scholar presented by McMillan/Pazdan/Smith
The Citadel's Jessica Maas. a four-year letterwinner for The Citadel's volleyball team, has been named the recipient of the William V. Moore Graduate Scholarship, presented by McMillan/Pazdan/Smith.  The scholarship is named in memory of former College of Charleston faculty athletics representative and SoCon President Bill Moore.  A political science major, Maas has a 3.75 grade point average and plans to pursue a Master of Divinity.  A four-time member of The Citadel's Dean's List, she was also a four-time recipient of the school's Gold Star, awarded to those students who attained a 3.70 or higher.  She has been named to the Southern Conference's All-Academic team three times and has earned the league's Commissioner's medal each of the last three seasons.  A team captain for the Bulldogs last fall, Maas has assisted local community service initiatives including mentoring elementary students, assisting at the Charleston Food Bank and Svetlina Foundation.

Ina Ables, Samford - Southern Conference Graduate Scholar
Samford's Ina Ables has been named one of the two recipients of the Southern Conference's Graduate Scholarship.  A member of the Samford cross country and track teams, Ables carries a 3.59 GPA in nutrition and dietetics.  She has been named to the SoCon All-Academic team twice and earned Dean's List status at Samford in 2010.  Ables was named First Team All-Conference in cross country in 2009 and earned second team honors in 2010.  She has been a part of Samford's back-to-back Southern Conference Cross Country Championship teams.  Ables has participated in a variety of community service projects, including Habitat for Humanity and Gamma Sigma Sigma.  She spent a month in Haiti during 2009 assisting at an orphanage.  Ables plans to begin her postgraduate studies in dietetics this summer.

Jake Ware, Georgia Southern - Southern Conference Graduate Scholar
Georgia Southern's Jake Ware is also a recipient of the Southern Conference's Graduate Scholarship. A four-year letterman on the baseball team from 2007-10, Ware has competed on the GSU golf team in 2010-11.  An international studies major, Ware owns a 3.94 GPA.  He was named to Georgia Southern's Presidents List six semesters, an honor bestowed on students who attain a perfect 4.0 GPA in a given semester.  Ware was named to the Southern Conference's Academic Honor Roll four years.  During his time in Statesboro, Ware has participated with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and has volunteered the Special Olympics, Athletes in Action and Buddy Ball.  He plans to pursue a Master of Arts in International Studies. 

Courtney Barnes, Chattanooga - Bob McCloskey Insurance Graduate Scholar
A four-year letterwinner on the Chattanooga volleyball team, Courtney Barnes is one of two recipients of the Bob McCloskey Insurance Graduate Scholarship.  Barnes carries a 3.89 grade point average in exercise science and has been named to UTC's Dean List all four years.  A three-time member of the Southern Conference Academic All-Conference Team, she has been earned ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-District honors each of the past three seasons, including first-team designation in 2010.  Barnes was also honored by the Golden Key National Honor Society in 2010.  On the court, Barnes set UTC's single-season hitting percentage mark (.335) in 2009 and then broke her own mark in 2010 (.340).  During her time in Chattanooga she has assisted with the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the Chuckamauga Chase, Bethel Bible Village and local nursing homes.  Barnes plans to begin her doctorate in physical therapy this fall.

Michael Schecter, Wofford - Bob McClockey Insurance Graduate Scholar
Wofford's Michael Schecter has been named the second recipient of the Bob McCloskey Insurance Graduate Scholarship.  A member of Wofford's men's tennis team, Schecter has earned Academic All-Conference plaudits each of the past two seasons.  He has a 3.70 grade point average in psychology and has been named to Wofford's Dean List each of the past three years.  Schecter earned the SoCon Commissioner's Medal in 2008 and 2009.  He was inducted into the Health Professional Honor Society in 2010.  Schecter has volunteered with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, St. Luke's Health Clinic and has served as a Residential Peer Mentor at Wofford.  He will begin his postgraduate studies at the Medical College of Georgia in August.

2010-11 SoCon Graduate Scholars

Name (Institution)                                     Sport                                   Academic Major
Ina Ables (Samford)                                   Cross Country/Track               Nutrition and Dietetics
Courtney Barnes (Chattanooga)                  Volleyball                               Exercise Science
Allison Drutchas (Davidson)                        Soccer                                   Philosophy
Callan Elswick (Davidson)                           Soccer                                  Latino Studies
Matt Leeds (College of Charleston)              Baseball                                Accounting
Jessica Maas (The Citadel)                         Volleyball                              Political Science
Michael Schecter (Wofford)                         Tennis                                   Psychology
Jake Ware (Georgia Southern)                    Baseball/Golf                          International Studies