MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University senior gymnast Jaida Lawrence is a semifinalist for the 2016 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award, as announced today by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine.

 

A native of Rocky Hill, Connecticut, she is one of 15 females to land on the semifinal list. The semifinalists were chosen from more than 1,000 minority student-athletes nominated by their respective institutions.

 

Lawrence, the lone gymnast named to the list, has been featured in the Mountaineer lineups in all 43 career meets. One of the team’s top vaulters, she owns 13 career victories, all on vault, and shows a career-high 9.925 score, earned on Feb. 21, 2014, at the Perfect 10 Challenge in Oklahoma City. Lawrence has tallied 87.825 points this season and has earned two third-place finishes on vault. She ranks No. 2 on the squad with 692.575 career points.

 

The 2015 Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Lawrence is a three-time NACGC/W Scholastic All-American. A speech pathology and audiology major, she also has been named to the Academic All-Big 12 Gymnastics First Team twice, as well as the 2013 Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team, and is a member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll, the Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll and the President’s and Dean’s Lists.

 

Established in 1992 by Black Issues in Higher Education magazine, now Diverse, the award honors undergraduate student-athletes of color who exemplify the standards set by tennis great, Arthur Ashe Jr. To be included, student-athletes must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.2, be active on their campuses or in their communities and demonstrate excellent athletic achievement.  

 

Most recently, WVU women’s basketball player Jess Harlee was named the Arthur Ashe Jr. Female Sports Scholar of the Year in 2013.

 

This year’s winners will be profiled in the April 21, 2016, edition of Diverse.

 

Lawrence and the No. 25-ranked Mountaineers return to the WVU Coliseum on Sunday, March 6, for a 2 p.m. meet against Ohio State and Bowling Green. Tickets are on sale now at WVUGame.com.