Wouldn't it be great to get paid for doing your homework? Although that may be a pipe dream for many, three recent graduates of Occidental College are, in a sense, being rewarded for just that...
Proving that Oxy athletes can excel in the uncompromising academic environment of a liberal arts institution, former sports stars Davin Lundquist '95, John Pike '96 and Will Allan '96 are now enjoying the fruits of their undergraduate labors thanks to some handsome postgraduate scholarships.
Lundquist, who started at quarterback in 1993 and 1994, was one of only 15 football players in the nation to win the prestigious National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete Award. The scholarship was worth $21,000 and was applied to his first year's tuition at medical school. In addition, Lundquist was also named as a recepient of a $5,000 postgraduate scholarship from the NCAA... one of only 29 football players in the nation to earn this award. Davin, who led Oxy to a two-year record of 14-4, majored in Kinesiology (Spanish minor) while carrying a cumulative grade point average of 3.76. In 1993, Lundquist was honored as All-SCIAC first-team quarterback and punter, and was selected to the GTE Academic All-America West Region Team.
Pike was a four year starter on the men's basketball team, finishing as the school's fourth best all-time career scorer with 1,278 points. John, who was a first-team All-SCIAC selection in his junior year, earned a $5,000 NCAA postgraduate scholarship at the end of his senior season. A Rhodes Scholar nominee, Pike is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, having built an overall gpa of 3.89. An Economics major, Pike helped Oxy to four consecutive winning seasons and was nominated in 1996 to the GTE Academic All-America National and Regional Team. Pike, who will attend Yale Law School beginning in the Fall of 1997, also lettered in Golf in his Senior year.
Not only an outstanding student, Will Allan was the epitome of excellence in both cross country and track. A consensus, four-year All-SCIAC fixture in cross country, Allan also won a $5,000 NCAA postgraduate scholarship. Will was twice named SCIAC "Runner of the Year" and earned All-America honors in both sports. In 1996, Will recored one of the fastest collegiate clockings in the nation for the 800 meters, blazing Bill Henry Track in a time of 1:49.73. He went on to place eighth at the NCAA Championships in May of 1996, again earning All-America accolades. Academically, Allan majored in Kinesiology and fashioned a 3.30 gpa. Like Pike, he was named to the GTE Academic All-America National and West Region Teams.
