John McLendon Memorial Minority Postgraduate Scholarship Awarded to Iowa State University Student from Cuyahoga Falls

The Cleveland Cavaliers, ESPN Regional Television and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) will present the John McLendon Memorial Minority Postgraduate Scholarship to a student pursuing a graduate degree in athletics administration. The $15,000 scholarship will be awarded to Joseph M. Heskett at the Cavs vs. Milwaukee game on Wednesday, April 10 at Gund Arena.

Heskett graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication from Iowa State University in December 2001. His undergraduate scholastic honors include three-time Academic All-American from the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA), three-time All-Big 12 Academic honoree, four-time Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll member and four-time Iowa State University Scholar-Athlete honoree.

He served as team co-captain for the ISU wrestling team and won the 165-pound NCAA championship this year. He is also a two-time NCAA runner-up and placed third in the NCAA championships as a freshman in college. In 2001, he placed third at the senior level World Team Trials and is currently a National Team member for the United States.

The scholarship is in honor of the late John McLendon, who was a pioneer for African-American athletics administrators. A 1936 graduate of Kansas, who attended classes taught by basketball's inventor, Dr. James Naismith, McLendon won three NAIA national titles as the head basketball coach at Tennessee State. His career eventually led him to Cleveland where he became professional basketball's first black head coach. He took the reins of the ABL's Cleveland Pipers in 1962, and three years later he became head basketball coach at Cleveland State University. McLendon died on October 8, 1999.

To qualify for scholarship consideration, candidates must be a resident of Northeast Ohio and have full-time status as a senior at the time of nomination. They are also required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 or above (on a 4.0 scale), be officially classified as a minority as defined by federal guidelines, have an intention to attend graduate school to earn a degree in athletics administration, and be involved on the college/university or community level.

Heskett holds a 3.15 cumulative undergraduate grade point average. He is currently enrolled in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies program at Iowa State University and is pursuing three areas of specialization - athletics administration, speech communication and psychology.

Heskett is from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio and is a 1997 graduate of Walsh Jesuit High School