June 21, 2007
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Four student-athletes will continue their college education with the help of postgraduate scholarships awarded by the Atlantic 10 Conference. They are Rhode Island's Emily Anderson, Jane Daniels of Charlotte, Chris Ekimoff of St. Bonaventure, and George Washington's Elana Meyers.
"Our presidents and directors of athletics have always emphasized the importance of the student in the term student-athlete," says Atlantic 10 commissioner Linda Bruno. "We all strive to make the collegiate experience an important and memorable one and this is another way for us to do that. We congratulate these four student-athletes and wish them and all of our student-athletes success in their future endeavors."
Anderson, a member of the Rams' women's cross country and track teams, is a 2006-07 ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America first-team honoree. The graduate student from Westerly, R.I., won eight medals at Atlantic 10 championships during her career, including gold in the 1000-meter indoor run in 2005. A two-time team captain, Anderson was also a member of three Rhode Island team championships as the Rams captured the title at the 2003 and 2005 Atlantic 10 outdoor track & field championships, as well as the 2005 indoor championship.
A political science and economics major, Anderson earned the 2006-07 URI Department of Athletics Winifred Keaney Award, which is presented annually to the most outstanding graduating female URI student-athlete who has been a role model in her career and has maintained a high level of academic standing. She was also honored with the 2006-07 Rhode Island Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Distinguished Student-Athlete. Anderson will complete her graduate studies in political science at Rhode Island.
Daniels won the 3000-meter steeplechase and finished second in 5000-meter run at the 2007 Atlantic 10 Outdoor Track & Field Championship, helping the 49ers to their second-straight A-10 title. The senior from Oostburg, Wis., also left her mark in the 49ers' record book with a share of the distance medley relay school record (11:43.96) and the 2000-meter steeplechase school record (7:25.06). For her efforts, she was named the A-10's Student-Athlete of the Year in both women's cross country and track & field. At the Atlantic 10 Cross Country Championship she placed eighth to earn All-Conference laurels this past season.
Daniels was one of seven student-athletes awarded the Coca-Cola NCAA Division I Community All-America Award for Community Service this summer. The president of the 49ers' Student-Athlete Advisory Committee has overseen two shoe drives per year, organized and marketed two blood drives per year, participated in tutoring with the Police Athletic League (PAL), organized annual Toys for Tots Drives and, on an annual basis, volunteered at Special Olympics track meets. She will pursue a Master of Science degree in health promotion at Indiana University.
At the 2007 Atlantic 10 Men's Swimming & Diving Championship, Ekimoff won gold in the 200-yard freestyle (1:40.76), while earning bronze medals in the 500-yard freestyle (4:35.76) and 1,650-yard freestyle (16:00.85) events. The native of Webster, N.Y., also swam the anchor leg of the 800-free relay and the 200-free relay, capturing bronze in a time of 6:48.18 and placing fifth in 1:24.66, respectively. He nabbed third in the 400-medley relay while swimming the anchor leg, and swam the second-leg of 400-free relay, placing fourth. In all, he ranked fourth at the 2007 A-10 Championship with 52 individual points to lead the Bonnies to a second-place finish.
The A-10's men's swimming & diving Student-Athlete of the Year was named to the St. Bonaventure Dean's List eight times and earned the Male Ideal Bonaventure Senior Student Award. He is currently enrolled in the school's MBA program with the goal of earning a CPA license.
Meyers batted a team-best .413 (.532 in A-10 play) for the George Washington softball team, helping lead the Colonials to their first-ever appearance in the Atlantic 10 Championship. The graduate student from Douglasville, Ga., also paced the Colonials with 59 hits, 26 runs scored, and 14 doubles, while finishing second with 25 runs batted in.
A first-team Academic All-American in 2006 and 2007, Meyers graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2006 and earned the George Washington School of Public Health and Health Services Distinguished Scholar Award in 2006. She will continue her graduate studies in exercise science or sport management.
The Atlantic 10's faculty athletics representatives annually honor four student-athletes who excel in academics, athletics and involvement in extra-curricular activities. The recipients are required to use the scholarship toward postgraduate education expenses.