Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG — Virginia Tech women's basketball player Aisha Sheppard and men's soccer student-athlete Kahlil Dover were announced as winners of the 2021 Skelton Award for Academic Excellence in Athletics on Wednesday.
Their academic successes, along with their success on the court/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']."
Sheppard, a senior from Alexandria, Virginia, led the Virginia Tech women's basketball team back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2006. The first-team all-ACC selection garnered AP All-America honorable mention honors. She earned her bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism and currently is pursuing a master's degree in agricultural and life sciences.
Dover, a junior from Reston, Virginia, appeared in 15 games this season for the Hokies. He scored twice, including a tally in a 1-1 draw at Virginia on Oct. 14. Dover, a 6-3 forward, helped guide Tech to its fifth straight NCAA tournament appearance this spring.
Dover is pursuing a degree in business with the intentions to work in the homeland security field.
For the second straight year, Virginia Tech's AD Honors Celebration was recognized in a virtual format through social media in light of the worldwide pandemic.
Department officials named Regan Westwood and Ryan Kros as Virginia Tech's recipients of the 2020-21 ACC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the ACC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, respectively. Westwood, a senior from Potomac, Maryland, is a double major in smart and sustainable cities, and environmental policy and planning. Kros is a senior from Fairfax, Virginia majoring in building construction.
The department also recognized student-athletes who earned a 4.0 GPA during the 2020 calendar year. That group includes Cate Stone (women's cross country), Jessica Spicer (women's golf), Sarah Spicer (women's golf), Kayleigh Addington (softball), Matt Zambetti (men's soccer), Caroline Cipolla (women's soccer), Keith Myburgh (men's swimming and diving), Julia Smith (women's swimming and diving), Joelle Vereb (women's swimming and diving), Regan Westwood (women's swimming and diving), Lauren Berman (women's track and field), Emma Thor (women's track and field), Erika Cheng (women's tennis), Nika Kozar (women's tennis), Soney Carey (cheerleading), Danielle Lombardozzi (cheerleading), Kelsey Smith (cheerleading), April Soedel (manager), Georgia Brandt (sports medicine), Elizabeth Canfield (sports medicine), Brenna Kiel (sports medicine), Kaitlyn Pollock (sports medicine), Zoe Rose (sports medicine), Jenna Ruby (sports medicine) and Thomas Sherrier (sports medicine).
Finally, the department recognized its 2020 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), Nick Holesa (baseball), Cayla King (women's basketball), Tyler Leeser (men's cross country), Connor Johnson Jr. (men's golf), Paige Petty (women's lacrosse), Joe Badalamenti (men's track and field), Ryan Kros (men's tennis), Kaity Smith (volleyball), Caden Darber (wrestling), Stan Smeltzer (wrestling), Riley Rosenberger (HighTechs), Caitlyn Hutcheson (HighTechs), Senah Stephens (HighTechs), Raheem Blackshear (football) and Maggie Menoni (HokieVision).