Fresno State Athletics
Rivers pegged an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar
5/24/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
By: Kimberly Fisher
kimfisher@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
Diverse: Issues In Higher Education
FRESNO, Calif. - A child development major in the classroom and starting second baseman on the field, Bulldog softball's Malia Rivers represents Fresno State as a 2016 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar.
The celebrated accomplishment was awarded to nearly 1,000 outstanding minority student-athletes representing 36 sports, nominated by their respective institutions. Of the 49 softball members recognized across the country, Rivers was among a list of 24 on the second-team for maintaining a cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 or better.
In 1992, Diverse: Issues In Higher Education established the Sports Scholars Awards to honor undergraduate students of color who excelled in the classroom, on the athletic field and exemplify the standards set by tennis great Arthur Ashe Jr. In addition to their athletic ability and academic performance, Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars demonstrate a commitment to community service and student leadership.
Off the field, Rivers' embodies excellence in the classroom and spent the fall academic term serving the community, in addition to her athletic success on the field. The junior Golden State local provides a competitive nature under the lights and equally important, a sense of devotion to volunteering her time within the Central Valley.
After transferring from Georgia in 2015, she added an Academic All-Mountain West nod to her Bulldog resume after being named to the all-conference second-team by helping the ‘Dogs to their first-ever MW title.
Rivers joins additional honorees who have competed in an intercollegiate sport, maintained a GPA of at least 3.2 and actively engage on their campuses or in their respective communities. The NCAA Office of Inclusion has partnered with Diverse to support this standout class of scholar athletes.
"Fun. Family. Forever." - The official home of Fresno State Softball is 790 AM ESPN2 "The Deuce."
