SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State women's golfer April Ranches (San Diego/Serra HS) and football player Michael Shawcroft (San Diego/Helix HS) recently received the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award, which is presented to student-athletes of color who exhibit academic excellence and community activism.
To be eligible for this honor, candidates must compete in an intercollegiate sport, be at least a sophomore academically while maintaining a 3.50 cumulative grade point average and be active on their campus or in their community.
Ranches, who recently was named to her second straight Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-American Scholar Team, completed her third season with the Aztecs in 2021. Ranches competed in all seven tournaments for SDSU, ranking fourth on the team with a 78.86 scoring average, while tying for second in rounds below par (2) and fourth in team count percentage (.750). Her best finish came at the 2021 Mountain West Championship, where she tied for 13th at 10-over 226 to help San Diego State to a runner-up finish.
Ranches, who is majoring in business administration, is a member of the SDSU Athletics Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She's also participated in National Girls and Women in Sports Day, the First Tee Program of San Diego, volunteered for the Junior Seau Foundation at the annual Shop with a Jock event, a community volunteer for Father's Joe Villages and a member of the SDSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
Shawcroft, meanwhile, garnered MW Fall Academic All-Conference accolades for a second straight season in 2020 while recording 35 tackles (24 solo), five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and three quarterback hurries. The linebacker started five of his eight appearances, helping the Aztecs to a 4-4 record in 2020 with its four losses coming to teams that went a combined 29-6 (.829).
Shawcroft has volunteered for the Junior Seau Foundation Toys for Tots and the Surf & Soul Toy Drive around the holidays. Shawcroft is majoring in kinesiology.
The publication Diverse: Issues In Higher Education sponsors the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Awards to honor undergraduate students who have excelled in the classroom as well as on the athletic field. Inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe Jr.'s commitment to education as well as his love for the game of tennis, U.S. colleges and universities are invited to participate in this annual awards program by nominating their outstanding sports scholars. In addition to their athletic ability and academic performance, Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars demonstrate a commitment to community service and student leadership.