June 3, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - Six University of Central Florida student-athletes were named 2008 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars by Diverse Magazine, including football's Sha'reff Rashad, who was a first-team selection for the second consecutive year, it was announced Tuesday.
UCF's 2008 honorees include Daniel Barrera (Cheerleading), Jessica Brown (Dance), Sheree Carter (Track and Field), Danielle Hopkins (Rowing), Rashad (Football) and Bianca Zuluaga (Dance).
The award was established in 1992 to honor undergraduate minority students who excel both academically and athletically. To be included, student-athletes must have completed at last one academic year of course work, be enrolled for the 2007 fall term, maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2 and be active on their campuses and/or in their communities.
Carter, a junior from Tallahassee, Fla., was a second-team selection and became the first athlete in UCF school history to win a Conference USA Outdoor Individual Event Championship when she claimed the 2008 heptathlon title at the C-USA Championships in El Paso, Texas, in mid-May. She also qualified for the NCAA East Regional in the 100-meter hurdles.
Hopkins, a junior from Miami, Fla., has been a member of UCF's varsity rowing squad for the past two seasons.
Rashad, a senior from Jacksonville, Fla., led the Knights in 2007 with 103 tackles, including eight tackles for loss. He started each of the team's 14 games last season and currently ranks tied for third all-time on UCF's career interceptions list with nine picks. He was a 2007 All-Conference USA Second Team selection.
Barrera, a junior from Tarkland, Fla., was a member of UCF's 2007-08 cheerleading squad, which finished third in the nation at the 2008 College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championships.
Brown, a sophomore from Winter Haven, Fla., and Zuluaga, a senior from Melbourne, Fla., were part of a dance team that finished ninth in the nation this past season.
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