The City University of New York Athletic Conference annually recognizes its best and brightest student-athletes, who not only excel in athletics, but succeed in the classroom as well. Over the next few weeks, CUNYAC will recognize those who truly embody what it means to be a student-athlete. The award is presented by Hospital for Special Surgery, the official hospital of the CUNY Athletic Conference.
David Melman, a member of the Brooklyn College men's basketball team, boasts an outstanding 3.9 grade-point average, majoring in Economics and Finance. A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Melman has made the most of his time in New York City. He is a CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll selection, and a member of the Bulldogs' Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). In addition, he has played an active role in the community, volunteering at youth sports clinics and food service events, while also making hospital visits.
On the court, Melman is a four-year letter winner, appearing in 86 games for the Bulldogs. Melman improved each year and it was evident in his final season, pacing the squad in field goal percentage (55.6%) and blocks (18). He started the final 23 games of the year, helping Brooklyn on its Cinderella run to a CUNYAC Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance for the first time since 2016.
"I am very honored to have been considered for this award," Melman said. "As an international student from Argentina, being a student-athlete in a team sport always helped me stay centered and kept pushing me to achieve my goals. The nature of individual awards often disregards how important it is to have a strong support group. Because of that, I would like to take this chance to thank the Brooklyn College community and especially my teammates and coaches for supporting me and always propelling me forward. What I have learned as a student-athlete, both in the classroom and on the court, will allow me to succeed further in life and I want to thank CUNY for facilitating that journey."
2019-20 CUNYAC/HSS Scholar-Athlete of the Year Honorable Mention
HSS is ranked #1 in the nation for orthopedics by U.S. News & World Report for the 10th straight year. No wonder the City University of New York Athletic Conference trust HSS as their official hospital. For more information, please visit www.HSS.edu. During this time of social distancing, HSS has developed resources to adjust to working from home, located on the new HSS Feel Better From Home website.