Record Eight Saints Named 2015 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars
Siena Sports Information
LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. – A record eight Siena College student athletes have been named 2015 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine. Baseball’s Justin Esquerra, women’s basketball’s Tehresa Coles, men’s golf’s Scott Kim, softball’s Melanie Kalesse, men’s soccer’s Nathan Olukanmi, swimming and diving’s Jacque Medina, men’s soccer’s Nick Theobald and women’s soccer’s Katie Zambrano are Siena’s honorees.
Diverse: Issues in Higher Education established the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars Awards to honor undergraduate students of color who best exemplify academic and athletic achievement. Inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe Jr.’s commitment to education and excellence on the tennis court, every higher education institution in the country is invited annually to nominate their outstanding sports scholars. In addition to their athletic ability, Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars must exhibit academic excellence and community activism. To be included, students have to compete in an intercollegiate sport, maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2 and be active on their campuses and in their communities.
This marks the second consecutive year in which Coles, Kalesse, Medina and Zambrano have been honored.
Esquerra (San Diego, Calif.) was the 2014-15 Siena College Male Student Athlete of the Year. A First Team All-MAAC selection, he led the Saints in both batting average (.311) and hits (60) while guiding the Saints to the MAAC Championship Series for the fourth time in five years. The May 2015 Leo Dufort Siena College Male Student Athlete of the Month, he graduated in May with his degree in accounting. He accrued a cumulative GPA of 3.36 and was named to the MAAC All-Academic Team following each of his two seasons. Following his junior season, Esquerra was tabbed a CoSIDA District One Academic All-District selection.
Coles (Loudonville, N.Y.) was the 2014-15 Siena College Female Student Athlete of the Year and was named a 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year honoree by the MAAC. The 2014-15 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, Coles led the MAAC and ranked 21st nationally in steals (2.9), while also breaking the program’s single-season (98) and career (308) steals records in leading the Saints to their most successful season in a dozen years which culminated in an appearance in the WBI Championship Game. She completed her undergraduate coursework in just three years and received her master’s in accounting from Siena College in May. Coles, who graduated with a 3.45 cumulative grade point average, was a three-time MAAC Academic Honor Roll selection.
Kim (River Edge, N.J.) led the Saints this spring finishing tied for fifth overall individually at the MAAC Championships. Overall, he tied for the team lead with three top-10 individual finishes during the 2014-15 school year. A junior, Kim currently maintains a 3.6 cumulative GPA while majoring in accounting. He was named Siena College’s Leo Dufort Male Student Athlete of the Month in April and was also tabbed to the MAAC All-Academic Team.
Kalesse (Philadelphia, Pa.) started all 49 games at shortstop for the Saints this spring. She hit .340 and posted a team-high 12 stolen bases for a Siena Softball squad which achieved its fifth consecutive 20-win season and won two MAAC Tournament games for the first time. A senior accounting major, Kalesse possesses a 3.42 cumulative GPA and has been named to the MAAC All-Academic Team each of the past two seasons.
Olukanmi (Milton Keynes, England) was a four-year starter for the Saints and was named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team in 2011. Last fall, he appeared in 15 matches and tallied three points for Siena which won 10 matches, tying for the second most in program history. Olukanmi, who graduated in May with his degree in psychology, was a two-time MAAC All-Academic Team selection and held a 3.33 cumulative GPA.
Medina (Norman, Okla.) won numerous individual and relay events over her decorated career. She led the Saints to consecutive third place finishes and bronze medals at the ECAC Championships each of the past two years, and finished second overall at the event in the 500 free last fall. Medina, who maintained a 3.51 cumulative GPA, graduated in May with her degree in English. She was a three-time MAAC All-Academic Team selection.
Theobald (Mississauga, Ontario) was a four-year starter at outside back for the Saints. Last fall he started in all 20 matches and tallied three points, while also scoring the game-winning goal in the Saints’ big road win at Brown. A two-time MAAC Al-Academic Team selection, he tallied a 3.3 cumulative GPA and received his degree in economics.
Zambrano (Avon, Conn.) made 19 appearances including 13 starts for the Saints in 2014. The outside midfielder was a key contributor for a Siena team which went undefeated in 12 of its final 15 matches in earning a MAAC Tournament berth. A three-time MAAC All-Academic Team selection, Zambrano held a 3.6 cumulative GPA and graduated in May with her degree in psychology.