JONESBORO, Ark. (10/28/20) – A pair of Arkansas State student-athletes were selected to receive 2020 Sun Belt Conference Postgraduate Scholarships, the league office announced Wednesday.
Track and field and cross country standout Sammy Brainard was the recipient of the Sun Belt Conference Student-Athlete Postgraduate Scholarship of the Year – the league's top female academic honor, while women's basketball's Starr Taylor also earned a partial scholarship.
The scholarships are awarded to selected student-athletes with stated intentions to pursue a graduate degree following completion of their undergraduate requirements and are sent directly to the graduate school of each recipient's choice. The recipients are selected by the Sun Belt Postgraduate Scholarship Committee, which is comprised of Faculty Athletic Representatives from across the conference.
Brainard most recently completed degrees in biological sciences (pre-professional) and chemistry and was one of six Arkansas State University Distinguished Service Award winners in May. The Collierville, Tennessee, native also earned Chancellor's List and Athletic Director's Honor Roll laurels multiple times.
On the track, she holds the school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (10:45.37), sixth in school history in the mile (4:58.74) and was a part of the 2020 silver-medal indoor distance medley relay team that helped A-State capture the 2020 Sun Belt Indoor crown. Brainard also played a key role in the Red Wolves' 2019 cross country and outdoor track and field titles. She served as captain of both the track and field team and cross country team and participated in two conference championships.
In addition, Brainard was named to the NCAA Division I all-academic teams for cross country and track and field. She is also a member of the A-State chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta honor society.
Taylor was a four-year letterwinner for the Red Wolves' women's basketball program, playing in 120 total contests and averaging just under five points per game. She most recently completed her master's degree in exercise science and is now pursuing her doctorate in physical therapy.
