Oklahoma State University Athletics
Garcia Named Sports Scholar of the Year
May 25, 2012 | Cowgirl Softball
May 25, 2012
Stillwater, Okla. — Chelsea Garcia, the starting shortstop on Oklahoma State's Cowgirl softball team, has been named the Arthur Ashe Jr. Female Sports Scholar of the Year, it was announced in this week's issue of Diverse: Issues In Higher Education magazine.
The award was established to honor undergraduate students of color who have made academic and athletic achievement a winning combination. In addition to their athleticism, Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars must exhibit academic excellence and humanitarianism.
Garcia, a native of Moore, Okla., is the second Oklahoma State student-athlete to receive the prestigious award, which began in 1996. Yolanda Odenyo, an All-American on the Cowgirl soccer team, was named the Female Sports Scholar of the Year in 2009.
Garcia was named a finalist from the pool of more than 350 female student-athletes nominated, and was chosen from the group of 10 finalists which also included fellow Cowgirl Krista Lopez, a member of the OSU soccer team. In total, Oklahoma State had 24 student-athletes named to either the first, second or third teams in their respective sports, besting the school record of 23 in 2011.
