Marshall University volleyball alumna Sammie Bane received a Conference USA postgraduate scholarship last week.
Bane, who graduated in May with a 3.96 GPA as a double major in exercise science and psychology, was one of 14 recipients of the Jim Castaneda Postgraduate Scholarship.
This is the seventh year the award has been named for Castaneda, who served Rice University for 46 years as an educator, coach and Faculty Athletics Representative before he passed away in November 2008.
The $4,000 scholarship is awarded annually to C-USA student-athlete graduates selected by the C-USA Faculty Athletics Representatives and approved by the Board of Directors. The recipients of the award have to be enrolled in postgraduate studies.
Bane, a Brownstone, Indiana native, was accepted into the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Indiana University.
Bane said the scholarship means a great deal to her and she considers it a blessing.
“I have three years of school left, so this will be a huge help in paying for my tuition,” Bane said. “It’s an honor to be one of the 14 chosen out of the entire conference because I know there are a lot of exceptional student-athletes in Conference USA.”
While a member of the Herd’s volleyball team, Bane said she learned valuable life lessons that she plans to utilize in her professional career.
“Being a member of the volleyball team has taught me so much,” Bane said. “For instance, how to manage my time, cooperate with others to achieve a common goal and how to effectively lead a group of individuals, all of which will benefit me moving forward.”
Marshall volleyball head coach Mitch Jacobs said in a news release that Bane’s excellence in the classroom shows what a student-athlete can accomplish when they hold themselves to the highest standards.
During her time at Marshall, Bane also served as president of Marshall’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and received the Conference USA Spirit of Service Award in December 2014.
Malcolm Walton can be contacted at [email protected].