Big South Announces 2023 Bob McCloskey Graduate Fellowship Winners
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – Presbyterian College volleyball player
Paige Cairns (Canton, Ga.), Radford women’s soccer player
Saleena Lynch (Suffolk, Va.) and Gardner-Webb men’s soccer player
Samuel Ritner (High Point, N.C.) have been awarded the annual Bob McCloskey Insurance Big South Conference Graduate Fellowships, it was announced today by the league office. Bob McCloskey Insurance, a Big South Corporate Partner, will award $2,000 each to Cairns, Lynch and Ritner for their respective graduate studies on Thursday evening, June 1, as part of the conference’s annual Spring Awards Dinner Banquet at The Westin Resort in Hilton Head, S.C.
The Big South Conference Graduate Fellowship Program was established by the league in the Fall of 2005 as a means of recognizing the academic excellence of Big South Conference student-athletes who intend to pursue postgraduate studies upon graduation from a Big South Conference institution.
Cairns played in 103 sets across 28 matches this past fall, and was second on the squad with a career-high 218 kills, 2.12 kills per set and 234.0 points. She also tallied 56 digs and 28.0 blocks. Cairns totaled 326 set appearances in her time at PC as an outside, middle and right side hitter, and finished her career with 523 kills, 117 digs and 113 total blocks. Cairns will pursue her Physician Assistant PA-C degree at Mercer University.
During her time in college, Cairns was a two-time Big South Volleyball All-Academic Team member. She graduated with a 3.97 GPA in Biology with a minor in Psychology, and conducted Honors Research at PC that included evaluation of breast cancer at the cellular level, xenografting and metastasis assessment. Cairns also volunteered for two years at the Good Shepherd Clinic, where she shadowed and interacted with 15 patients per day under the care of a physician. She is a certified Nursing Assistant, and worked at the Phoenix Senior Living Center where she aided elderly residents. A College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honoree as a senior, Cairns was named to the Presbyterian College Dean’s List her junior and senior years, as well as Big South Presidential Honor Roll accolades -- including Commissioner’s Award recognition twice for having a 4.0 GPA for the academic year.
Lynch helped Radford capture the Big South Women’s Soccer Championship in 2022. She played 18 matches with 17 starts, and totaled 1,357 minutes on the backline for the Highlanders. Lynch was a Second-Team All-Conference performer this past season, and was a Defensive Player of the Week selection. In her four years, she made 68 career appearances with 52 starts, tallied three assists from her defensive position while playing 4,533 career minutes, and was part of Radford’s Women’s Soccer Championship team as a freshman in 2019. Lynch will pursue her Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience from the University of North Carolina. She graduated earlier this month with a 3.96 GPA as a Criminal Justice and Psychology major.
Off the field, Lynch participated in eight academic conferences and presentations, including the Southeastern Psychological Association, Psychology & Gender Research Symposium, Student Engagement Forum, and the University of Missouri Alcohol Research Presentation. She is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, has been awarded Academic Excellence Dean’s List honors all four years and was the recipient of the Wyatt Family Athletic Endowment. Lynch also served Radford as a Resident Assistant, Academic Tutor, and a College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences Elevated Research Mentor. She was Vice President of the Criminal Justice Club, participated in mental health and crisis training, and volunteered with the Special Olympics.
Ritner had career-highs of 14 appearances, 11 starts and 979 minutes this past season for the Runnin’ Bulldogs, and tallied his first career assist in Gardner-Webb’s 4-0 win over VMI on Sept. 10. For his career, he has played 35 matches with 24 starts while accumulating 2,159 minutes of action. Ritner graduated this month with a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science, and he will remain at Gardner-Webb to pursue his Master’s in Strength & Conditioning while continuing to compete for the Runnin’ Bulldogs.
The team captain was inducted into the Kappa Omicron Nu Human Sciences Honors Society last spring, earned the Student Leadership, Service and Volunteerism Award in 2022, as well as the Chick-fil-A Remarkable Futures Leadership Scholarship in the fall of 2020. Ritner is a Big South Presidential Honor Roll member and earned Commissioner’s Award distinction for his 4.0 GPA during the 2021-22 academic year. In addition, Rither was Vice President of Gardner-Webb’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and served as Community Engagement Committee Chair this past year, and has volunteered at Hope Community Church as a ministry leader since the Fall of 2021.
Nominations for the Graduate Fellowship are made by the Faculty Athletics Representative or the Chief Academic Officer at a Big South member institution, and are limited to one male and one female at each school. To qualify for the Big South Conference Graduate Fellowship, applicants must have the following requirements:
- Have an overall undergraduate cumulative grade-point average of 3.500 or better based on a maximum 4.000, or the equivalent in other recognized grading systems;
- Have competed in intercollegiate athletics as a member of a varsity team at a Big South Conference member institution;
- Must be either a graduating senior during the academic year of the award, or be enrolled in a graduate program at a Big South Conference institution while completing the last year of eligibility;
- Intend to continue academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree and enroll into a graduate degree program at a properly accredited, non-profit educational institution or into a post-baccalaureate professional degree program at a professionally accredited law school, medical school or the equivalent, without restriction as to the national site of the institution;
- Have evidenced superior character and superior leadership;
- Have demonstrated that participation in athletics and community service has been a positive influence on the nominee’s personal and intellectual development. Relative success in athletics is important but not of overriding significance;
- Enroll in a graduate degree program the term subsequent to being awarded the fellowship or present a rationale for deferred matriculation.