Student Named Scholar Athlete of the Year

Junior Hayden Reed throws a discus
Junior Hayden Reed was named the men’s outdoor field events NCAA Division I Scholar Athlete of the Year.

From the September 2014 edition of Desktop News | Junior Hayden Reed, a redshirt sophomore on UA’s track and field team, was named the men’s outdoor field events NCAA Division I Scholar Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. He is majoring in biology with a 3.52 grade point average (GPA) and is the first man from Alabama to win the award since its inception in 2007.

The Orange, Texas, native claimed the award after winning the discus title at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. He also won the USA Track and Field Championships discus title earlier this summer. This latest honor ranks Reed as the top outdoor field events student-athlete among the 496 men who earned all-academic honors from the Coaches Association in 2013-14.

“It’s nice to get recognized for my work in the classroom as well as on the track team,” Reed said. “Academics often get overlooked, so it’s great that those students who are getting the grades are rewarded for it. The grades and the degree will carry you through life long after your athletic career is over.”

Scholar Athlete of the Year awards are determined from among those who earned All-Academic status and placed highest in individual events at the NCAA Championships. Those who earn multiple individual championship titles rank higher in the tie-breaking process, and cumulative GPA is weighed as the final tiebreaker to establish a winner.

Reed said his favorite part about being a student-athlete is representing the University in both roles.

“Everyone is used to seeing UA at the top athletically, but it’s nice to bring attention to the fact that not only are we an athletic dynasty, but also a world-class academic institution. Being able to represent both the University’s athletic dominance and academic legacy is what I love about it.”

Reed plans on applying to veterinary school after graduation.