FAIRFAX, VA - UMBC senior Jayo Adegboyo (Men's Cross Country/Track & Field) has been selected as one of four finalists for the 2025 Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Athlete of the Year, it was announced by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education magazine. Adegboyo, who won the award for his sport, currently owns a spectacular 3.952 grade point average in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, He will also earn a minor in Physics and receive an honors certificate. The Columbia, Maryland native is waiting for acceptances to medical school. 
 
Male Finalists:
Jayo Adegboyo, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Track/Cross Country
Cameron Brown, University of California, Merced, Basketball
Blaise Threatt, Weber State University, Basketball
Dylan Williams, Georgia State University, Soccer

Female Finalists:
Emma Malabuyo, University of California, Los Angeles, Gymnastics
Marissa Mastracco, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Soccer
Kiki Rice, University of California, Los Angeles, Basketball
Jaida Ross, University of Oregon, Track/Cross Country

As the name denotes, the annual Ashe edition is part of our over a quarter-century legacy of recognizing outstanding, young minority men and women who have distinguished themselves in their academic and athletic pursuits.
 
Students named Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars must maintain at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average, be at least a sophomore academically, and be active on their campuses or in their communities.
 
The 2024 overall winners were Olivia Womack from the University of Mississippi and Darius Robinson from the University of Missouri. Other past Arthur Ashe Scholars have included the University of Wisconsin's Russell Wilson (2011), the University of Tennessee's Kara Lawson (2003), San Diego State University's Marshall Faulk (1993), and Stanford University's Simone Manuel (2017), to name a few who have gone on to achieve great success.
 
Always contending at the highest levels, the following Ashe scholars competed in this year's March Madness NCAA Basketball Tournament:  Kiki Rice – UCLA, Landry Williams – Oklahoma State, Adalia McKenzie – Illinois, Jayda Curry and Merissah Russell – both of Louisville, Madison Scott – Mississippi and Jayda Brown – Vanderbilt on the women's side;  and Chukwuebuka Ejiofor – St. John's, AJ Redd – Illinois, Eduardo Klafke and Jaemyn Brakefield – both of Mississippi, Miles Keefe and Jordan Williams – both of Vanderbilt, and Dante Bass, Corey Hines, and Ubong Okon – all of Alabama State on the men's side.
 
Winners from each sport category nominated will also be announced prior to the June 5 edition.