Devine Dinner Displays Continued Growth of Academic Success
4/24/2023 2:57:00 PM | General
KENT, Ohio – The Kent State athletic department's top honors were handed out on Sunday at the annual Judith K. Devine Athletic Academic Honors Dinner.Â
Named for Judy Devine, the matriarch of Kent State athletics who spent 31 years in various administrative, academic and coaching roles, the ceremony honors sophomore, junior and senior student-athletes, spirit team members and athletic training students who have maintained at least a 3.25 accumulative grade point average and freshmen who have earned a 4.0 grade point average in their first term.
Nearly 250 sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students were honored at the event as well as 13 freshmen who earned a perfect 4.0 GPA in their first term at Kent State. These student-athletes represent ten colleges and 78 degree programs. 41 of the student-athletes are currently pursuing a graduate program and 30 are members of the Honors College.
The average cumulative GPA of the student-athletes in attendance was 3.684.
Quintin Cooks (Men's Track and Field), who was given the Judith K. Devine Leadership Award for outstanding leadership in all facets of life, including team, department, collegial unit, and community, also served the senior student-athlete speaker at the event. Cooks is a team captain on the track and field team as well the Senator-at-Large for Athletics in Kent State's Undergraduate Student Government. He is also involved with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and is a member of the Academic Review Subcommittee for the Intercollegiate Athletic Committee.
The Janet Bachna Award, recognizing a graduating female student-athlete demonstrating the most exceptional combined qualities of leadership, positive image, athletic ability and academic performance, was presented to Lindsey Thall (Women's Basketball). A five-year team member, Thall has earned Academic All-MAC honors three times alongside two All-MAC Honorable Mention and MAC All-Defensive Team nods. She is the first MAC women's basketball player to total over 1,500 points, 250 three-point field goals and 200 blocked shots in a career.
The Merle Wagoner Award, recognizing a graduating male student-athlete who has demonstrated the most exceptional combined qualities of leadership, positive image, athletic ability and academic performance, went to wrestling's Jake Ferri. A three-time Academic All-MAC award recipient, Ferri was named a Scholar All-American by the National Wrestling Coaches Association this year. He represented Kent State at the NCAA Wrestling Championships twice during his career.
The Kennedy Award, honoring a team which not only demonstrates excellence in competition, in the classroom and in the community, was awarded to the Men's Track and Field team.Â
