Dec. 17, 2007

Cleveland, Ohio - The six winners for the eighth annual John McLendon Memorial Minority Postgraduate Scholarship Awards were announced today by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).

The winners are:

The winners will each receive a $10,000 grant to be used towards postgraduate studies in athletics administration. Funding for the scholarship program has been provided in part by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA); the Cleveland Cavaliers; Major League Baseball (MLB); the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC); the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA); the National Basketball Association (NBA); the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA); and Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Minorities (as defined by federal guidelines) who intend to pursue a postgraduate degree in athletics administration are eligible for these scholarships. Students were required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and have demonstrated leadership qualities on an institutional or community level. <> Biographies on each of the winners and more information about the McLendon Award can be found below.

Dorian O. Burton, Penn State University Division I
Dorian Burton attended Penn State University where he earned an undergraduate degree in sociology. While at Penn State, Burton was a member of the Penn State football team. Aside from his athletics activities, Burton was involved with numerous academic associations. He was an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, where he was chosen as a delegate for the National Pan-Hellenic Council. He also served as a delegate on the HIV/AIDS Risk Reduction Advisory Council (HARRAC) and was a member of the Minority Undergraduate Law Association. Burton was a member of the Dean's list and also earned the Bunter Waller and Black Coaches Association Minority Post Graduate Scholarships. He is currently attending New York University where he is in the master's degree program for Higher Education Administration. In addition to his graduate work at NYU, Burton is also an intern in the National Football League's Player Personnel department and a consultant at the Center for Sports in Society at Northeastern University. Burton hails from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Alana McClanahan, Duquesne University, Division I
Alana McClanahan is a graduate of Duquesne University where she earned her undergraduate degree in sport marketing and marketing. McClanahan was a thrower for the Duquesne track team, where she currently ranks second all-time for the hammer throw and third all-time for the weight throw (Indoor). While at Duquesne, McClanahan was on the NCAA Athletic Honor Roll, Director of Athletics Honor Roll, Duquesne Dean's List and received an Academic Achievement Award. A member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, McClanahan held the position of President during her senior year. She also participated in Big Brothers Big Sisters, Everybody Vote, and Walk Miles for Kids Smiles community service events. She currently holds the collegiate co-chair on the Cleveland board of the National Association of Black Sports Professionals. McClanahan is slated to receive her master's degree in sports leadership in August 2007. She was recently inducted in the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society for her achievements in graduate school. McClanahan is from Cleveland, Ohio.

Amber McCray, University of Florida, Division I
Amber McCray graduated Cum Laude from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in journalism. McCray was a member of the Gators volleyball team where she captained the squad in 2006. In 2007, McCray earned the Tracey Caulkins Award, which is awarded each year to the University of Florida's top graduating female student-athlete. McCray was a three-time academic All-SEC honor role athlete as well as the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award in 2005. She was also named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District III 3rd team in 2005 and the 2nd team in 2006. She was also chosen by the NCAA to represent Florida at the NCAA National Leadership Conference in 2006. McCray participated in Goodwill Gators; a community outreach and service organization at the University, as well as the student-athlete advisory committee. She also was involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and became a Gator Life Leader, directing weekly bible studies for UF student-athletes. McCray is from Longview, Texas. McCray is pursuing her master's degree in sport management at the University of Florida.

Tiffanne Ryan, Southeast Missouri State University, Division I
Tiffanne Ryan is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University where she earned a degree in sports management with a minor in business administration. Ryan graduated Cum Laude and was on the Dean's list as well as the Commissioner's Honor Roll. She was awarded the Jane Klausman Scholarship and was a NCAA Foundation Leadership Finalist. Ryan was a three-time captain of the Southeast Missouri State women's basketball team. She recently completed a five-month internship with the United States Olympic Committee Paralympics Division. She also has volunteer experience with the Boys and Girls Club of Cape Girardeau and the Next Generation, Regeneration Collegiate Christian Ministries. In addition to the John McLendon Scholarship, Ryan has also been awarded the NCAA Ethnic Minority Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship. Ryan is originally from Newalla, Oklahoma. Ryan is attending Ohio University and is enrolled in the dual degree program - MBA and sport administration.

Darnell Smith, Oklahoma State University, Division I
A graduate of Oklahoma State University (OSU), Darnell Smith earned a degree in economics. While at Oklahoma State, Smith was a member of the student-athlete advisory committee and was a four-time first team Academic All-Big 12 selection. He was also named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll nine times, the Dean's Honor roll five times and the President's honor roll twice. In addition, Smith was named the OSU Male Student-Athlete of the Year for 2006-07, was a five-time OSU Academic Achievement Award winner and a three-time Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar award recipient. Smith is also a National Football Foundation Honor Society and Hall of Fame inductee, which is given to student-athletes that have show consistency in academics, athletics, community service and good works throughout their collegiate career. He also earned the OSU Community Outreach Award and was a two-time winner of the Big 12/Chick-fil-a "Community of Champions." Aside from his academic achievements, Smith was also heavily involved in volunteer programs at OSU including, UNICEF, Hurricane Katrina Relief, Kids-Across-America, YMCA, and numerous other activities. Smith is from San Antonio, Texas. Smith is looking to pursue his master's degree in sports administration/management.

Christina Wright, American University, Division I
Christina Wright is a 2007 graduate of American University where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in public communication with a minor in statistics. That same year, she earned the Stafford H. Cassell Award as well as the American University Multicultural Affairs/International Student & Scholar Services Scholar-Athlete Award. Wright was a four-year women's track athlete at American where she was named to the Patriot League Honor Roll three-times. Wright was also on the American University Dean's list two-times and had her research paper, "The Token Athlete: Sports and Performance Enhancing Drugs" published by the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. In 2006, Wright was a participant in the NCAA Division I Regional and National Leadership Conferences as well as the Patriot League SAAC conferences. She also interned with the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) before accepting a Diversity and Inclusion internship with the NCAA. Wright is a native of Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. After her internship is finished in June 2008, Wright plans on enrolling in graduate school at either the University of Vermont or Syracuse University.

The above mentioned winners names were forwarded to the John McLendon Memorial Minority Blue Ribbon Committee for their award selection by the John McLendon Awards Committee. The Awards Committee consists of 18 individuals, including 14 athletics directors, a trio of conference representatives and an NCAA representative. The ADs are Kevin Anderson, United States Military Academy; Sharon Beverly, Vassar College; Rudy Carvajal, California State University Bakersfield; Deborah Chin, University of New Haven; Rudy Davalos, AD Emeritus at the University of New Mexico; Earl Edwards, University of California San Diego; Herman Frazier, University of Hawaii; Michael Garrett, University of Southern California; Dan Guerrero, University of California Los Angeles; Craig Littlepage, University of Virginia; Warde Manuel, University at Buffalo; Bernard Muir, Georgetown University; Eugene Smith, Ohio State University; and DeLores Todd, North Carolina A&T State University. The conference representatives include Dell Robinson, Associate Commissioner Legislative & Compliance Services, Mid-American Conference; Dennis Thomas, commissioner, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference; and Alfred White, associate commissioner, Conference USA. The representative from the NCAA is Anne Little, director of First Team Mentoring.

The John McLendon Memorial Minority Blue Ribbon Committee responsible for selecting the five individual for the McLendon Scholarship include Wayne Embry, senior basketball advisor to the president, Toronto Raptors; Greg Gumbel, CBS Sports; Curt Hamakawa, assistant professor of sport management, Western New England College; Mike Haynes, vice president of player and employee development, National Football League; Jim Kahler, executive director, Center for Sports Administration, Ohio University; Omar Minaya, general manager/executive vice president, baseball operations, New York Mets; Jimmie Lee Solomon, executive vice president of baseball operations, Major League Baseball; Keith Tribble, athletics director, University of Central Florida; Claire Van Ummerson, vice president and director, Office of Women in Higher Education, American Council on Education; Gene Washington, director of football development, NFL; and Charlotte Westerhaus, vice president of diversity and inclusion, National Collegiate Athletic Association.