-- Story provided by Hope College Athletics --
Chelsea Miskelley ‘20 has been selected as the 27th Hope College recipient of an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
The former cross country and track and field runner for the Flying Dutch receives a one-time, non-renewable scholarship of $10,000.
The NCAA awards up to 126 postgraduate scholarships annually. The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are at least in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition.
Hope’s NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients
Miskelley will be attending Des Moines University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine four-year program in Des Moines, Iowa. was named to the 2020 College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-America Team in track and field in June. She
“I am honored and grateful to receive this. It means so much to me to have been nominated,” Miskelley said. “I want to thank Dr. Leah Chase especially for nominating me for this award. She always has been a great mentor and motivator for me during my time at Hope. I want to thank all my professors, coaches and teammates for being a great support system for me.
“I want to thank my friends and family for encouraging me, believing in me, and showing me I can achieve a dream I set out to achieve.”
Dr. Mark Northuis, head cross country and assistant track and field coach, said Miskelley developed as a person, scholar, and athlete during her four years at Hope.
“As a freshman distance runner, Chelsea was not on the varsity squad. However, through hard work, Chelsea developed into an NCAA National Championship qualifier, an Academic All-America runner in cross country and track and field, and team captain,” Northuis said. “She worked equally hard in the classroom and the laboratory to develop into a scholar and pre-medicine student.
“Chelsea is gifted with a sharp mind and a sensitive heart. She is committed to a life of learning and service to others. She has learned that she has been given much and that she desires to give back to others. She is among the top 1 percent of students and athletes I have worked with in over 30 years of higher education, a gifted and caring student, researcher, athlete and leader.”
A decorated athlete, Miskelley claimed all-region honors from the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for indoor track and field in the distance medley relay this season. A middle-distance runner, Miskelley helped the Flying Dutch claim their second Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Indoor Championships in three years in February.
In the fall of 2019, Miskelley ran on the women's cross country team that finished 27th at the NCAA Championships and claimed a school-record fifth consecutive MIAA title. She earned all-conference honors for the third consecutive season in cross country.
Miskelley is a two-time, All-MIAA honoree in outdoor track and field.
In the classroom, Miskelley was named to the 2020 College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-America Team in track and field in June.
She earned All-Academic honors from the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association last fall. In order to qualify for All-Academic distinction, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.30 on a 4.0 scale and finish in the top-25 percent of their respective regional championship meet.
Miskelley also made the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Academic Honor Roll throughout her career at Hope.
The NCAA’s one-time non-renewable scholarships of $10,000 are awarded three times a year corresponding to each sport season (fall, winter, and spring). Each sports season there are 21 scholarships available for men and 21 scholarships available for women for use in an accredited graduate program.
All former student-athletes who earned an undergraduate degree from an NCAA member school are eligible to be nominated by that school for an NCAA graduate degree scholarship, regardless of when they received their undergraduate degree.
