May 4, 2009

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Former men’s soccer standout midfielder Masumi Turnbull has been selected one of the top-10 candidates for the 2009 Arthur Ashe Jr., Men’s Sports Scholar of the Year award, it was announced.

The award was inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe Jr. and his commitment to education, as well as his love for the game of tennis. The Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar of the Year award honors one male and one female scholar-athlete that best exemplifies the standards of scholarship, athleticism, and humanitarianism. The winners are chosen from the recipients of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award, who must have a GPA of at least a 3.2 and be active on their campuses or in their communities. 
The winners for the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar of the Year will be announced on May 28th. 

The magazine Diverse: Issues In Higher Education established the Sports Scholars Awards to honor undergraduate students of color who have made achieving both academically and athletically a winning combination.

Turnbull had an outstanding four-year career for UK, helping lead the soccer program to a 12-win season in 2008 and an appearance in the Conference USA Championship game. Turnbull, a third-team All-Conference USA selection in the midfield in 2008, finished the year with three assists and one goal in 19 games, firing 12 shots and logging 1419 minutes. Turnbull’s lone goal came as a golden goal, in the second overtime against conference foe FIU, lifting UK a 3-2 win.