Men's Fall 2009 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Awardees

ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - Bethel University safety David Benjamin (Sr., Roseville, Minn.) has been named as one of 58 fall athletes to earn a postgraduate scholarship from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Benjamin finished the season as the third leading tackler on the team with 58, including one for a loss of three yards. He had an interception, three pass break-ups, forced two fumbles, and recovered two fumbles as well. Benjamin was part of a pass defense that only allowed nine touchdowns through the air, and that had the most interceptions among MIAC teams. He is majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology and currently holds a 3.99 GPA. Benjamin was named a 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American in late November.

The winners (29 men and 29 women) represent fall sports participants who will receive one-time, non-renewable grants of $7,500. The NCAA will name postgraduate scholars for winter and spring sports later this year. Benjamin is the first Bethel athlete to receive an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship since women's cross country runner Nikki Umhoefer in 2007.

The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship was created in 1964 to promote and encourage postgraduate education by rewarding the Association's most accomplished student-athletes through their participation in NCAA championship and/or emerging sports. Athletics and academic achievements, as well as campus involvement, community service, volunteer activities and demonstrated leadership, are evaluated. An equitable approach is employed in reviewing each applicant's nomination form to provide opportunity to all student-athlete nominees to receive the postgraduate award, regardless of sport, division, gender or race. In maintaining the highest broad-based standards in the selection process, the program aims to reward those individuals whose dedication and effort are reflective of those characteristics necessary to succeed and thrive through postgraduate study in an accredited graduate degree program.
 
Eligibility is restricted to student-athletes at NCAA member institutions who, in their final year of eligibility, have performed with distinction as members of varsity teams in the sport for which they were nominated. Nominees must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.200 (based on a 4.000 scale), be nominated by the faculty athletics representative or athletics director, and intend to continue academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree as a part-time or full-time graduate student.