Griffin Named Finalist for Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar of the Year
March 24, 2023 | Football
FAIRFAX, Va. โ Chase Griffin of the UCLA football team has been named a finalist for the 2023 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar of the Year award, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education announced Tuesday. He was also recognized as the sport winner for football.
In addition to their athletic abilities, students named 2023 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars are students of color who have maintained cumulative grade-point averages (GPA) of 3.5 or better, are at least sophomores academically, and have been active on their campuses or in their communities. Of the nearly 1,000 scholar-athletes nominated, one male and one female athlete will be selected as Sports Scholar of the Year.
Griffin, a quarterback from Round Rock, Texas, took snaps in relief versus Alabama State (Sept. 10) and at Colorado (Sept. 24) during the 2022 season. He debuted in 2020, completing 40 of 62 passes for 451 yards and six touchdowns across four games played. Griffin has started two contests and guided the Bruins to victory against Arizona on Nov. 28, 2020. He tossed four touchdowns as a reserve in UCLA's 2020 finale versus Stanford (Dec. 19). Griffin has been a frequent contributor to the scout team throughout his career.
In the classroom, Griffin has 11 times made the UCLA Athletic Director's Honor Roll for holding a GPA of at least 3.0 while passing at least 12 quarter units. He is a two-time Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll member, eclipsing a 3.3 GPA in Fall 2022 and Fall 2020. Winner of the UCLA Athletics Academic & Student Services Success Award in 2021, Griffin is seeking a master's degree in legal studies after earlier earning one in transformative coaching and leadership. His undergraduate work was done in public affairs.
Griffin has been active serving the UCLA community, in and out of the athletic department. Recipient of the UCLA Chancellor's Service Award and UCLA Athletics Bruin Leadership Award in 2021, he is the football program's representative in the Bruin Athletic Council leadership group and part of the Pac-12's Student-Athlete Leadership Team. Griffin was also the football team's volunteer representative for the Voting Matters Initiative, which focuses on voter education and voter registration within the Bruin student-athlete population. He has also collaborated with UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital through the Starlight Children's Foundation.
A portion of Griffin's Name, Image and Likeness proceeds go directly to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank's BackPack Program, which benefits children who rely on school meals to not go hungry. Griffin and his Be11eve Brand have donated more than 60,000 meals and won the GoFundMe College Charity Challenge for the work accomplished with Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
Griffin's work in the community extends to projects with 186th Street Elementary School in Gardena, Calif., Be The Match, After School All Stars and All Vote No Play.
This is the latest honor lauding Griffin for his achievements on and off the field of play. He was named UCLA's nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Teamยฎ, rewarding "exemplary community service, academic dedication and impact on and off the field," in 2022. He was also tabbed to the watch list for "College Football's Premier Award for Community Service," the Wuerffel Trophy, in 2022. Griffin is now a three-time Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar and first-time finalist.
The 2023 Male and Female Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar of the Year will be announced prior to April 27, when Diverse: Issues in Higher Education publishes its annual Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars special report edition.
Male finalists:
โข Chase Griffin, UCLA, Football
โข Micaylon Moore, University of NebraskaโLincoln, Track/Cross Country
โข Reis Thomas, Wabash College, Track/Cross Country
โข Lyle Yost, The Ohio State University, Swimming & Diving
Female finalists:
โข Kaira Brown, Vanderbilt University, Track/Cross Country
โข Lauren DeVaney, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Basketball
โข Camber Hayes, Miami University, Soccer
โข Madesyn Ronquillio, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Swimming & Diving
Chase Griffin (@ChaseQB11) of @UCLAFootball is a 2023 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars Finalist for Male Athlete of the Year. Congrats, Chase! pic.twitter.com/h2Kg2Jz3FM
โ Diverse: Issues In Higher Education (@DiverseIssues) March 23, 2023
