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Five Mizzou student-athletes were honored for their work away from competition this week, earning Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Awards.
Senior Kobe Brown was 1-of-10 finalists nationally for the male honoree, while also receiving first-team accolades for the men’s basketball selections. Mama Dembele of women’s basketball and Arianna Fisher of women’s track and field also received first-team accolades for their respective sports, while Katrina Brathwaite of women’s swimming and diving and Jocelyn Moore of gymnastics earned second-team accolades.
Missouri’s five honorees are the school’s most since collecting six in 2019.
A first-team All-SEC honoree by both the coaches and the media, Brown also became the first player in program history to receive SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year accolades, while earning Academic All-America honors. Brown led Mizzou with 15.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game during the 2022-23 campaign, helping Mizzou to its most wins in 11 years. One of the most versatile players in the country, Brown was the only player in the country to shoot 55 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range and the first SEC player to do so since 1992-93. Off the court, he owns a 3.594 grade point average as he pursues a career in the field of psychology.
Dembele appeared in 28 games for the Tigers women’s basketball team, leading Mizzou with 3.0 per game. She also added 3.8 points and 2.6 boards per game. She scored a season-high 11 points against eventual national champion LSU, while registering seven assists in non-conference action against Massachusetts and Illinois. Off the court, Dembele owns a 3.975 grade point average, while earning dean’s list in every semester.
A finalist for the 2022 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award, Fisher is a two-time All-American for the Mizzou track and field program. She earned first-team honors during the 2022 indoor meet, while collecting second-team accolades at the 2022 outdoor championship. She holds the school record for both marks during her career and placed fifth at the SEC Indoor Championship this season in the event. Off the track, Fisher owns a 4.0 grade point average, while pursuing her master’s in education psychology.
An engineering major, Brathwaite earned 14 titles during her four-year career in the pool, while helping the Tigers to two NCAA Championship appearances. Away from the pool, the senior is a four-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and owns a 3.53 grade point average.
A two-time All-American, Moore holds the vault record at Mizzou, becoming the first in school history to score a perfect 10.0 in the competition. She also earned the SEC title in the vault and is a two-time member of the all-conference team. Majoring in business, she owns a 3.62 grade point average.
The Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Awards honor students of color who have excelled in the classroom as well as on the athletic field. Inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe, Jr.’s commitment to education as well as his love for the game of tennis, U.S. colleges and universities are invited to participate in this annual awards program by nominating their outstanding sports scholars. In addition to their athletic ability and academic performance, Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars demonstrate a commitment to community service and student leadership.