Winthrop

June 20, 2001

Eyo Effiong Selected To Receive Anson Mount Scholar/Athlete Award

ROCK HILL, SC--Winthrop senior basketball player Eyo Effiong has been selected as the 2001-2002 Anson Mount Scholar/Athlete Award recipient by the editors of Playboy magazine. He will travel to Chicago on July 13-14 to receive his award during the magazine's 25th annual All-America Weekend.

The Anson Mount Scholar/Athlete Award recognizes achievement both in the classroom and on the basketball court. Nominated by Winthrop Sports Information Director Jack Frost for the award, Effiong was judged on his scholastic and athletic accomplishments. A donation of $5,000 will be made by Playboy to the general scholarship fund of Winthrop University in his name. An article on Effiong along with the members of the Playboy preseason All-American team and predicted top 25 teams will appear in the annual college basketball section of the magazine's December issue.

"Eyo has a genuine appreciation for the opportunities he has had playing basketball in the United States while working toward his degree," said Frost in his nomination of Effiong for the honor. "Whether he continues his career as a player or enters the work force as a businessman, he will find success."

Effiong, a 6-9 center from Lagos, Nigeria, has been a three-year starter for the Eagles and has helped lead coach Gregg Marshall's teams to three straight Big South Conference championships and trips to the NCAA tournament. After averaging 8.2 points and 6.3 rebounds as a sophomore, Effiong was chosen a pre-season All-Big South Conference performer last year, but an early season back injury limited his playing time. He is fully recovered and will be one of five seniors returning for the 2001-2002 season.

In the classroom, Effiong has compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.60 and achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA during the past spring semester while pursuing a degree in business administration with a minor in accounting. He has been on Winthrop's Dean's List for seven consecutive semesters and was selected on the Big South Conference All-Academic Team in 2000 and 2001. He is also a three-time Big South Presidential Scholar. Last summer he was selected to represent Winthrop at the 2000 NCAA Leadership Conference and was an active member of the Winthrop and the Big South Conference student-athlete advisory committees. In addition to his athletic and academic accomplishments, Effiong serves as vice president of the Winthrop Chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

"Eyo is the true definition of the term student-athlete," says Marshall. "He has made contributions not only in basketball, but he has also made a positive impact on campus and in the community. I'm so proud of him on his selection for this prestigious nationwide honor."