GORHAM, Maine – Senior Jaequan Grant (East Granby, Conn.) of the University of Southern Maine Huskies men’s indoor and outdoor track & field teams has been named a 2022 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar-Athlete award winner, earning second team honors in men’s track & field.
Diverse: Issues in Higher Education sponsors the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Awards to honor students of color who have excelled in the classroom as well as on the athletic field. Recipients from colleges and universities across the United States and across all
NCAA Divisions nominate student-athletes on the basis of athletic ability, academic performance, and a commitment to community service and student leadership. Beginning the awards program in 2016, Grant is believed to be the first Little East Conference student-athlete to earn the accolade. He is one of four NCAA Division III student-athletes in the New England region to earn the award.
“Jaequan is a tremendous athlete and student, but is an even better person,” said Mike Keller, USM’s NCAA Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Designee. “This is an amazing honor for an exceptionally deserving individual. Since Jaequan made the decision to become a vocal leader on campus, his voice and perspective have been instrumental in several key initiatives. His work within his team, the athletic department and as a founding member of SADIE have been monumental.”
An outstanding student leader on University of Southern Maine campus and as a member of the Huskies’ indoor and outdoor track & field teams, Grant carries a 3.66 cumulative grade point average as a Cyber Security major.
A three-time winner of the Athletic Department’s William B. Wise Scholar-Athlete designation, Grant is a four-year member of both the indoor and outdoor track & field teams, and has consistently helped his teams to Little East Conference Championships during indoor (2018-2019) and outdoor (2019) seasons. At the 2022 LEC outdoor championship, Grant repeated as the conference champion in the 4x100 relay.
In addition to his achievements in the classroom and on the track, Grant’s hard work and determination extend beyond the competitive arena and into community service and social justice.
A founding member of the Huskies’ Student-Athlete Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity (SADIE) Committee, Grant is one of two University of Southern Maine student-athletes serving on the Maine Student-Athletes of Color (SAOC) board, and has used his platform to advocate for social justice and education on a variety of topics.
In the fall of 2021, Huskies’ SADIE received national recognition from the NCAA, and was awarded a Division III Diversity Spotlight Award, which included a grant to use towards its future initiatives. Grant’s leadership in these areas is evident, as Huskies’ SADIE has established itself as a strong and vocal part of the University of Southern Maine Athletics’ experience. In the Spring of 2021, just a year after its creation, Huskies’ SADIE was recognized by USM’s Student Government as its Outstanding New Student Group.
“When Coach Keller called me and told me I was honestly at a loss for words,” said Grant. “It is a tremendous honor. We’re a small school in Maine, and it is easy to be overlooked in favor of Division I student-athletes.”
Preparing to compete in The Last Chance Meet at MIT with the hope of qualifying for the NCAA Division III National Championship as a member of the Huskies’ 4x100 team, Grant recently crossed the stage and received his diploma in Cyber Security from the University of Southern Maine last week.
“Hopefully, we get the job done and earn our spot in nationals, but this award would be a tremendous way to close out my career as a student-athlete,” said Grant. “There’s been a lot of ups and downs, a lot of hard work, but mostly benefits and positives – even in spite of COVID. But from the first day as a freshman until today, I knew this was the University and the team for me.”
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