Former Arkansas State cornerback Blaise Taylor was named the 2018 Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year on Thursday by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine.
"I am honored and humbled to receive the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar award," Taylor said. "He was a great leader that used his athletic ability to help overcome obstacles, allowing him to establish a platform that would open doors for many student-athletes like myself. Without the hardship, sacrifice and perseverance by Mr. Ashe Jr., the opportunities for myself and other minority student-athletes may not be available today."
Taylor is the first student-athlete from Arkansas State to earn the award. He also becomes just the second Sun Belt Conference student-athlete to receive the honor, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jr. who received the award while a member of Western Kentucky University men's basketball team in 1999.
"This great honor for Blaise is a testament to him as a humanitarian, student and athlete, and I believe there is no one more deserving of this distinction," ASU Athletic Director Terry Mohajir said. "Blaise has been a leader on and off the field since he stepped on our campus four years ago."
Taylor was selected as the top Sports Scholar in the nation after being named a finalist March 1 alongside West Virginia basketball player Jevon Carter and California-San Diego tennis player Justin Zhang. The three finalists were chosen from 40 semifinalists, who were selected from more than 1,000 nominees.
Taylor and the female Sports Scholar of the Year, Haley Clark of the University of Georgia basketball team, as well as the entire class of 2018 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars, will be featured in the April 5 edition of Diverse.