Wofford junior women's tennis player Ellen Rogers was one of 14 amateur student-athletes honored Tuesday night at an Atlanta Area Council Boy Scouts of America banquet at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Marietta, Ga.
She was nominated for the organization's Peach of an Athlete Role Model Award, which recognizes deserving athletes whose character, scholastic achievement, athletic excellence and commitment to community service most closely match the aims and ideals of the Scouting program.
This year's recipients were quarterback David Greene of Georgia (male) and forward Kristy Brown of Stetson (female).
Rogers, a native of Lookout Mountain, Ga., is a two-time All-Southern Conference selection for the Terriers. This season, playing at the No. 1 position full time for the first time in her career, she has amassed a team-high 10 singles victories. She also has paired with freshman Sarah Shelley as the squad's top doubles duo and has recorded 10 wins.
Nominees must have met the following criteria: be a young man/woman of character who serves as a positive role model for youth, embody the principles of Scouting, including character, citizenship and personal fitness and be an athlete from Georgia or participating for a college or university in Georgia.
Past recipients of the amateur award include Georgia Tech's Mark Price (1984) who went on to an NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Georgia's Kevin Butler (1985) who played professionally with the NFL's Chicago Bears and 1993 Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward of Florida State, who also has played in the NBA with the Houston Rockets.
Wofford's Ben Foster, a member of the Terrier football team, received the male award in 2002.
Other awards presented Tuesday night included Albert LaRue (Olympic Athlete), Archie Griffin (Professional Athlete) and Chan Gailey (Bobby Jones).
LaRue competes in the Special Olympics Georgia in a variety of sports, Griffin is the only two-time winner of the Heisman Trophy while playing at Ohio State and Gailey is a former Dallas Cowboys head coach who now roams the sidelines at Georgia Tech.
"This is a tremendous honor for Ellen and our program," said Terrier head coach Rod Ray. "When you look at the quality of the field of both current and former participants in this competition, it is incredible. It just goes to show how fortunate we are to have Ellen with us. I am grateful for her and the work she has done. Truly, she is an outstanding role model."
Rogers and the rest of the Wofford women's tennis team will open the Southern Conference Tournament Thursday at 12:30 p.m. The Terriers enter the field as the No. 7 seed and will face No. 10 Appalachian State in the opening round.
