Two-time All-American recognized for his work in the classroom

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jake Bateman, who completed his career on the Ohio State men’s gymnastics team as a two-time All-American and team captain this season, was awarded an educational grant through the NCAA postgraduate scholarship program the NCAA announced Monday. Bateman is one of 58 winter-sport student-athletes to receive the one-time, nonrenewable grant. The biology major is on track to graduate from Ohio State this spring and has been accepted into dental school at the University of Memphis.

The postgraduate scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition. The Association awards up to 174 postgraduate scholarships annually, 87 for men and 87 for women.

"This is honor for Jake because he has worked so tremedously hard at both his academics and his sport all four years," Miles Avery, Ohio State head coach, said. "He has done an All-America job at both."

Bateman, who was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2006, is a four-time OSU Scholar-Athlete and three-time College Gymnastics Association First Team All-America Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten honoree. As a junior, the Kingsport, Tenn., native was selected to the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Second Team and was a First Team Academic All-District honoree.
 
In the gym, Bateman, a 2009 Nissen-Emery Award finalist, finished his collegiate career earning All-America honors on rings with a fourth-place finish at the 2009 NCAA championships. A season ago, he placed sixth in the all-around to earn his first national laurel. A 2008 and 2009 first-team All-Big Ten selection, Bateman finished third in the all-around at the Big Ten championships and placed in four-of-five qualified event finals at the league championships this season.

Bateman is one of two male gymnasts to receive a scholarship and one of three student-athletes from a Big Ten school.

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. For more information about the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships, go to the Diversity and Inclusion link under the “About the NCAA” tab at www.ncaa.org.

2008-09 Men’s Winter Sports Awardees

2008-09 Women’s Winter Sports Awardees