A three-time City University of New York Athletic Conference All-Star in Outdoor Track & Field, ELSTON ALEXIS of Medgar Evers College, a computer science major with a 3.49 grade point average, has been selected as the CUNYAC/Hospital For Special Surgery Scholar-Athlete of the Month for May 2012.
The junior from Brooklyn, New York, by way of St. David's, Grenada is expecting to earn his bachelor’s degree next year and apply to Columbia University for a Master’s degree in Computer Science. While he hopes to become a computer programmer, Alexis, whose brother Leston is also on the Cougars’ track squad, is keeping up his end in academia, appearing on the Dean’s List twice (Fall 2009, Spring 2010) prior to this semester.
“I am so happy for Elston on winning this award,” said longtime Track & Field Head Coach Alphonso Dance. “I know if Elston puts his mind to something, he can achieve it. Elston has worked hard on the field in Track and Field and works even harder to succeed and excel in the classroom. He is a model for the team. He is a quite leader and love how he interacts with his teammates. Elston is the first one to practice and last to leave. I truly think MEC is in great hands with Elston aboard. His work effort is a great example”.
In May the field specialist tallied a pair of gold medals at the CUNYAC/U.S. Army Outdoor Track & Field Championship in Javelin (49.70m) and Shot Put (13.54m). Alexis also had two other top five finishes in the two-day event: a fourth place showing in the Discus (35.06 meters), and fifth in the Hammer Throw (26.57m). The following week, to close out the year, Alexis competed in the 2012 Division III Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships in Shot Put and Javelin, slotting 12th in Javelin (50.18m) and 18th in Shot Put (14.21m).
At the Medgar Evers Athletic Banquet in late May, Alexis was named 2012 Male Athletic-Scholar of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and, as always, he is extremely humble in his accolades. “I have studied a lot so I can pass my finals, and be able to compete in my sport. I know and am aware of being a student first, athlete second. I am thankful I've won this award. I try to give a hand with my teammates anyway I can. It's part of my nature."
Fittingly, he was also just named the CUNYAC Men's Sportsmanship Award winner for the 2012 Outdoor Track and Field season as well.