Truman Athlete Named NCAA National Scholarship Winner

The NCAA Walter Byers Scholarship Committee has announced that Sarah Marie Dance, a swimmer from Truman State University, and Matthew G. Gunn, a track and cross country student-athlete from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, have been selected as this year’s NCAA Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarship recipients.

Both student-athletes will receive scholarships valued at $21,500.

Dance and Gunn were chosen from among six finalists. The other four considered were Lindsay Day Hagerman, tennis, Washington and Lee University; Jemique Lauryn McCalley, diving, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; James Adam Davis, track and cross country, Rice University; and Todd Allen Mortensen, football, University of San Diego.

Dance, an exercise science major, was a member of three national championship teams at Truman State. The 21-time all-American and two-time first-team Verizon Academic All-America honoree served as a volunteer in the emergency room at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital and was a member of the Alpha Sigma Gamma service sorority.

Arkansas’ Gunn is an international relations and European studies double major and a member of the 2002, 2003 and 2004 national champion Razorback track and field teams. The undergraduate chair of the International Law Society at Arkansas, Gunn has served as speaker for the Arkansas Athletic Outreach Champions of Character Program.

Established in 1988, the Walter Byers Scholarships recognize the contributions of former NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. The awards encourage academic achievement in student-athletes. Award recipients must have a 3.500 grade-point average (4.000 scale), show evidence of superior character and leadership and demonstrate that participation in athletics has been a positive influence on personal