Football: Henry Scholar-Athlete of the Year
February 13, 2007 06:02 PM | General
February 13, 2007
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| Jay Henry |
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - West Virginia senior linebacker Jay Henry was named the winner of the 2006 BIG EAST/Aéropostale Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, the league announced. He receives a $2,000 scholarship which may be applied to graduate or professional studies. Henry also leads a group of 80 student-athletes named to the 2006 BIG EAST All-Academic Football Team.
The BIG EAST/Aéropostale Scholar-Athlete Awards were established to recognize student-athletes who have achieved success in the classroom and on the field. The Female and Male Scholar-Athlete Awards will be announced on Feb. 14 and Feb. 15, respectively. The Women’s and Men's Basketball Scholar-Athletes of the Year will be announced prior to their respective championships on March 2 and 6. Aéropostale, Inc. is a fast growing, mall-based, specialty retailer of casual apparel and accessories, principally targeting 11 to 18-year old young women and men. The company provides customers with a focused selection of high-quality, active-oriented, fashion basic merchandise at compelling prices. Aéropostale and the BIG EAST Conference have been partners since 1999. The company Web site can be found at www.aeropostale.com.
“This group of student-athletes has excelled both on the field and in the classroom,” said BIG EAST Commissioner Michael Tranghese. “The BIG EAST is extremely proud to honor Jay Henry as this year's BIG EAST/Aéropostale Scholar-Athlete of the Year, as well as the entire 2006 all-academic football team.”
Henry, a Tulsa, Okla. native, is a standout both on and off the field at West Virginia. A two-year starter at middle linebacker and a team captain this past season for the Mountaineers , he has played in four straight New Year's bowl games, including wins in the Nokia Sugar Bowl and Toyota Gator Bowl the past two seasons. Henry finished his WVU career with 181 career tackles, including a career-best 62 tackles as a junior in 2005. In '05, he was a semifinalist for both the Ronnie Lott Trophy which is given annually to the Defensive Impact Player of the Year and the Wuerffel Trophy, which is awarded to the college football player “who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement." This past season, he was selected to play in the prestigious Hula Bowl all-star game.
Henry's impressive resume extends into the classroom and the community. Possessing a perfect 4.0 grade point average, he earned a bachelor's degree in finance in May, 2006 and is currently pursuing a second degree in accounting. Henry received ESPN The Magazine CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team accolades in each of the past two years. This season, he was a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete and a finalist for the Draddy Trophy. A member of the Athletic Director's Honor Roll and the Dean's List in each of his semesters at West Virginia, the senior is a member of the National Honor Society, the Business Honorary Society and the Golden Key Society, as well as Beta Gamma Sigma and Phi Kappa Phi. In the community, Henry is active as a speaker to school and youth groups on topics such as work ethic and leadership. He also volunteers with the Boys & Girls Club, the Special Olympics and the WVU Children's Hospital.
Fourty-two repeat selections from 2005 were included on this season's BIG EAST All-Academic Football Team. Three players – Rutgers' Brian Leonard and West Virginia's Henry and Dan Mozes – were honored for the fourth time. Connecticut's Rhema Fuller and Pittsburgh's Brian Bennett received all-academic accolades for the third time.
Eleven players who received BIG EAST All-Conference honors this past fall also made the all-academic squad. Cincinnati's Dominic Ross, Louisville's Art Carmody and West Virginia's Mozes were All-BIG EAST First Team selections in 2006. All-conference second team members on the all-academic team included Cincinnati's Brent Celek, Connecticut's Fuller, Louisville's Brian Brohm and Eric Wood, Rutgers' Jeremy Ito, Leonard and Jamaal Westerman and West Virginia's Ryan Stanchek.
West Virginia had the most student-athletes selected to this year's all-academic team with 18. The Mountaineers have the most all-time selections with 149 in 16 seasons of BIG EAST play.
The All-Academic Team recognizes letterwinners who have posted a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better. Student-athletes who have completed a minimum of two semesters of academic work and earned a letter are eligible. It is the 15th consecutive season the BIG EAST has honored its student-athletes with an academic team.
2006 BIG EAST ALL-ACADEMIC FOOTBALL TEAM
* – Indicates a repeat selection from 2005
ALL-TIME BIG EAST FOOTBALL SCHOLAR-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
