Meet the 2011 Male Big Ten Medal of Honor Finalists – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/23/2011 12:00:00 AM | General
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The 2011 edition of the Ohio State Scholar-Athlete Dinner will be held Monday at the Ohio Union, marking the 44th edition of the banquet that recognizes the outstanding academic achievements of Ohio State student-athletes.
The event is capped each year with the presentation of the Big Ten Medal of Honor. Each member institution in the conference gives the award annually to the male and female athletes in the graduating class who have attained the greatest proficiency in both academics and athletics. The Big Ten Conference office established the award in 1914 for men and an additional award for the top female was instituted in 1982. This honor includes a $5,000 postgraduate scholarship.
Today, meet the five finalists for the men’s award – Matt Allare (tennis), Chimdi Chekwa (football), Justin Farra (swimming), Bo Hoag (golf) and Steven Kehoe (volleyball).
The five finalists for the women’s award are Ellen Birmingham (cross country), Samantha Cheverton (swimming), Cassie Dickerson (soccer), Katie Dull (volleyball) and Letecia Wright (track). Read about them by visiting: http://go.osu.edu/wbtmoh11.
Matt Allare Tennis Hometown: Pleasant Plain, Ohio Major: Business Finance A business finance major from Pleasant Plain, Ohio, Matt Allare had a career senior season as a member of the men’s tennis team. Allare was named First Team All-Big Ten, while also capturing the ITA Midwest Region Doubles title and advancing to the region’s singles final. A two-time Academic All-Big Ten and three-time Ohio State Scholar Athlete honoree, Allare plans to attend graduate school while pursuing a career in collegiate coaching.
Chimdi Chekwa Football Hometown: Clermont, Fla. Major: Accounting A first-team All-America cornerback for the four-time Big Ten champion Buckeye football team, Chimdi Chekwa was a first team all-conference player and a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe and Bednarik awards in 2010. The Clermont, Florida, product considers it an honor to be “someone who represents the standard that student-athletes are held to in such a respected conference for character and tradition.” A key contributor on four BCS bowl teams, and Rose and Sugar Bowl championship squads, Chekwa, an honors student in accounting, was selected by the Oakland Raiders in April’s NFL draft.
Justin Farra Swimming Hometown: Clarksville, Ohio Major: Economics and Political Science Future Plans: Plans to attend law school at OSU Justin Farra capped his Ohio State swimming career by being named the 2011 recipient of the NCAA’s Elite 88 Award, given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA at the NCAA Championships. He captured honorable mention All-America honors at the NCAA meet to close out a senior season that included his setting two new school records in the 200 and 400 individual medleys. Recently named a CoSIDA first team Academic All-District selection, he is a swimming Scholar All-American and a member of the SPHINX Senior Class Honorary, Farra is a two-time Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholar, a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a four-time OSU Scholar Athlete. He has already been accepted into the Moritz College of Law at Ohio State and plans to study mergers and acquisitions.
Bo Hoag Golf Hometown: Upper Arlington, Ohio Major: Economics Being a Buckeye born and bred, Bo Hoag is a four-year letterwinner for the men’s golf team. The Upper Arlington, Ohio, product has been a mainstay on the Ohio State team since his freshman season. He is a two-time first team All-Big Ten selection coming in 2009 and 2011 and earned second team All-Big Ten in 2008 as a freshman. In 2009, Hoag was a PING All-America Honorable Mention and Midwest Region honoree. He has led the Buckeye squad in stroke average in three of his four years with his best coming this season with a 72.46. Hoag is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a three-time Ohio State Scholar-Athlete majoring in economics. He plans to pursue a career as a professional golfer.
Steven Kehoe Volleyball Hometown: North Bend, Ohio Major: Business Administration – Finance, Real Estate, Risk Management and Insurance Steven Kehoe, a three-year starter for the men’s volleyball team, helped the Buckeyes win the 2011 NCAA Championship and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Championship. This past season, he was a first-team American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American, a first-team selection and player of the year in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the MIVA Tournament in leading the Buckeyes to the regular season and tournament championships. An AVCA Second-Team All-American in 2010, Kehoe was the MIVA Player of the year and a first-team all-conference selection. He was named to the MIVA All Tournament team as the Buckeyes won both the regular season and tournament championships. He is a three-time MIVA Academic All-Conference, Academic All-Big Ten and Ohio State Scholar-Athlete selection. He plans to pursue a career as a professional volleyball player followed by pursuing an MBA at Fisher College of Business.
