Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech women's golfer Sarah Spicer and men's track and field athlete Bashir Mosavel-Lo were announced as winners of the 2020 Skelton Award for Academic Excellence in Athletics on Tuesday.
Their academic successes, along with their success on the field and in the community, led to both receiving the award – the highest designation handed out by the Tech athletics department.
The Skelton Award is named after Dr. Bill and Peggy Skelton. The late Dr. Skelton served in the Corps of Cadets and graduated from Virginia Tech in 1940. He later worked as a dean of the Virginia Cooperative Extension division at Tech. The late Peggy Skelton was a faculty member and director of the Cooperative Extension Family Resource Program in the College of Home Economics at Virginia Tech. Both were charter members of the Ut Prosim Society and its President's Circle and combined for more than 100 years of support to the university in various capacities.
The award goes each year to a rising junior, senior or fifth-year male and female student-athlete who has participated in intercollegiate athletics for at least two seasons at Tech and who holds an overall grade-point average of 3.40 or better. Each recipient receives a scholarship of $5,000.
"Bill and Peggy Skelton grew up on rural farms, learning early the value of solid work efforts, high ethical standards, a sense of community, and service to others," John Skelton and Jean Skelton, the children of Dr. Bill Skelton and stepchildren of Peggy Skelton, said in a combined statement. "They appreciated the opportunities that came their way in life and at Virginia Tech and wished to 'pay it forward.' It was their hope, as is ours, that the Skelton Award will recognize the diligent work, efforts, and commitment of our Hokie student-athletes and will inspire them to carry forward the spirit of our university's motto, Ut Prosim ['That I May Serve']."
Spicer, a redshirt junior from Bahama, North Carolina, has competed in 15 rounds for the Hokies during her career, with a career average of 77. She currently is pursuing a degree in economics, with a minor in statistics.
"In my time in Blacksburg, I have encountered so many Hokies that are dedicated in their pursuits and truly embrace the spirit of Ut Prosim," she said. "Dr. and Mrs. Skelton were two clear examples of Hokies devoted to helping and supporting the community, so receiving an award in their honor is truly one of the greatest distinctions I could imagine being given.
"I am incredibly appreciative of being chosen as this year's recipient, and I want to continue giving back and supporting others, as the Skeltons and so many other Hokies have done. I will always cherish this award, and I hope that my future actions will make the Skelton family and the entire Hokie community proud."
Mosavel-Lo, a junior from Richmond, Virginia, was the ACC champion in the 800-meter run at the 2019 ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, and he went on to earn second-team All-America honors in the event. He was slated to compete on the men's distance medley relay team at this year's NCAA Indoor Championships before the NCAA cancelled all spring and winter sports championships because of the effects of the coronavirus.
Mosavel-Lo is pursuing a degree in industrial and systems engineering.
"It means so much to me to receive this award," he said. "The start to 2020 has been a difficult time for everyone, and now more than ever, we should come together as a community. Receiving this award only reinforces my desire to bring people closer together and be a leader wherever I may go."
Virginia Tech Athletics canceled its AD Honors Celebration in light of the worldwide pandemic, but still honored numerous student-athletes for their work in the classroom and in competition.
Department officials named Jessica Spicer and Aaron Boyd as the 2019 Virginia Tech Female Athlete of the Year and the Virginia Tech Male Athlete of the Year, respectively.
Spicer, the twin sister of Sarah Spicer, is a double major in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience and psychology. In 2019, she was named to the Women's College Golf Association All-American Scholar team, All-ACC Academic Women's Golf Team and a member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll. On the course in 2019, she ranked third on the team in scoring average at 74.80 and fourth on the Virginia Tech career scoring list at 75.83. Last summer, she won the Carolinas Women's Amateur Championship and placed second, along with her teammate, and sister, at the 42ndCarolinas Women's Four-Ball Championship.
Boyd, a senior from Fairfax, Virginia, is on the men's swimming team and currently in pursuit of a degree in business information technology. In 2019, he earned first place in the 50-yard freestyle and 100 freestyle and second in the 100 butterfly at the Virginia Tech Invite. He also placed third in the 400 freestyle against Virginia. Out of the pool, he has been a member of the Virginia Tech Dean's for the past three years and is a three-time member of both the Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Honor Roll and Athletic Director's Honor Roll for achieving a 3.0 grade-point average or higher.
The department also recognized student-athletes who earned a 4.0 GPA during the 2019 calendar year. That group includes Jessica Spicer (women's golf), Sarah Spicer (women's golf), Nora Wrenger (women's golf), Regan Westwood (women's swimming), Elizabet Danailova (women's tennis), Ashley Pennington (athletic training), Jenna Ruby (athletic training), Georgia Brandt (athletic training), and Keely Ledford (HokieVision).
Finally, the department recognized its 2019 All-Academic Team, which includes the top student-athlete academically in his/her sport. The list for this all-academic team includes Jonathan Kabongo (men's basketball), Aisha Sheppard (women's basketball), Tyler Leeser (men's cross country), Mikayla Richardson (women's cross country), Oscar Bradburn (football), Tom Crow (men's golf), Kayleigh Addington (softball), Hayden Kickbush (men's soccer), Emily Gray (women's soccer), Keith Myburgh (men's swimming), Jaelyn Demory (men's track and field), Emma Thor (women's track and field), Ryan Kros (men's tennis), Talyn Jackson (volleyball), Josh Baier (wrestling), Peyton Alford (baseball), Sierra Bennett (cheerleading), Margaret Brothers (HighTechs), Delaney Peterson (HighTechs), Caitlyn Hutcheson (HighTechs), Brent Miller (baseball manager), and Sarah Vanadia (lacrosse).