Silver City, N.M. – Western New Mexico University has three student-athletes listed as recipients of a 2020-21 Academic Momentum Award as announced by the Scholar Baller program in conjunction with the Institute for Sport & Social Justice (ISSJ). Grisdey Parades-Alvares, Tylen Riley-Coleman (Milwaukee, WI/Maricopa HS), and Britney Lovato (Rio Rancho, NM/Cleveland High School) were among 68 student-athletes who were nationally recognized. WNMU is the only Lone Star Conference and one of just a few Division II schools o have recipients for this award. 

 Originally from Tucson, AZ, Parades-Alvares played all four years for the Mustangs. She is a first-generation Mexican American, earning her degree in Business Management. Improving her freshman year GPA of 2.94 GPA, Parades-Alvarez earned a 3.64 to conclude her senior year. 

Parades-Alvarez was one of 27 male and female award recipients who were selected for the First-Team Academic Momentum Award.

 One of 18 to make the Second-Team Academic Momentum Award, Tylen Riley-Coleman (Milwaukee, WI/Maricopa HS) struggled his first year of college ending with a 1.93 GPA. The sophomore from Milwaukee, WI, was stellar in the classroom, improving his GPA to 3.13. Riley-Coleman became a leader on the football field, and lead by example in the classroom, working tremendously hard in his aspirations of becoming a nurse.

Earning the Third-Team Academic Momentum Award, Britney Lovato (Rio Rancho, NM/Cleveland High School) has improved her freshman year GPA from 2.94 to her junior year GPA of 3.51. Lovato is a leader for the women's cross country team, as well as a leader in the community, volunteering 10 hours a semester. Originally from Rio Rancho, NM, Lovato will earn a degree in elementary education.  

 Top nominations were categorized into three teams based on each student athlete's academic improvement and the impact that the student athlete's academic performance had on the student-athletes classmates, teammates, academic advisors, and professors. A total of 27 male and female award recipients were selected for the Academic Momentum Award first team, with 18 recipients chosen for the second team, and 23 recipients selected for the third team. Each award recipient will receive an official Academic Momentum Award certificate.

The Scholar Baller® movement was established in 1995, corresponding in response to concerns that the student athlete's athletics role increasingly superseded the student role. Well before the Name Image and Likeness (NIL) movement, Scholar-Baller in 2004 made history as the first organization to brand educational logos on NCAA and NAIA student-athlete jerseys, helmets, and uniforms during athletic competition. 

 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.

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 the 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." CHANGING LIVES THROUGH THE POWER OF SPORT!
 

*** 

 Western New Mexico University is a member of the NCAA Division II, and the Lone Star Conference (LSC). For additional information regarding Mustang Athletics, visit www.wnmumustangs.com; visit wnmu.edu for more information about Western New Mexico University. Follow the Mustangs on social media: @WNMUathletics (Twitter & Instagram)

 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 (Tucson, AZ/Sunnyside HS), 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 (Milwaukee, WI/Maricopa HS), 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 (Rio Rancho, NM/Cleveland High School), 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, Western Carolina University, Mathematics, Golf

 Tyquon Wilkins, Virginia State University, Sport Management, Baseball

 Alex Wright, Ohio State University, Communication, Golf