Toyo honors college basketball players who get good grades

Jan. 1, 2020
During the recent Pac-10 collegiate basketball tournaments at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Toyo presented the Pac-10 Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards for men?s and women?s basketball.
During the recent Pac-10 collegiate basketball tournaments at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Toyo presented the Pac-10 Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards for men’s and women’s basketball.

The honors are presented throughout the entire academic season to recognize outstanding players who also excel in academics in each of the conference’s 22 sports.

Beginning in 2007, Toyo has donated $1,000 to the scholarship funds of an institution’s athletic department for each winner in recognition of their accomplishments. The company distributes $22,000 each year to the Pac-10 schools.

On March 9, Rihards Kuksiks of Arizona State University received an award from Marty Furman, Toyo’s chief operating officer. Gloria Nevarez, senior associate commissioner at the Pac-10, was also on hand for the presentation.

Kayla Pedersen of Stanford University was honored with the Pac-10 Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award for women’s basketball on March 11. Nevarez was joined by Anne Holland, Toyo’s senior manager of sales operations, for the presentation.

In order to be nominated for an award, players must be a senior (in athletics eligibility) on track to receive a degree while carrying a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher.

“We congratulate both Rihards Kuksiks and Kayla Pedersen, and all of the outstanding recipients of this prestigious award,” says Furman, adding that the company “is proud to acknowledge the accomplishments of these dedicated student-athletes who lead in academics and in their sport.”

For more information, visit www.pac-10.org and www.toyotires.com.