Central’s Gray wins conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award
Central Dutch Athletics
PELLA—Graduated Central College football player Riley Gray (West Des Moines, Waukee HS) was announced as the recipient of the 2016-17 Duane Schroeder Iowa Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award Wednesday.
The conference honor recognizes a student-athlete who has demonstrated high levels of accomplishment and achievement in athletics and academics while also serving the community. To be eligible for consideration, student-athletes must have graduated or exhausted their athletic eligibility during the year the award is given, achieve a 3.50 or better cumulative grade point average (4.0 scale) and show evidence of service and leadership. Each league institution may nominate a male and female candidate and a group of 18 conference faculty athletic representatives determine the two award winners
Gray, now enrolled at the University of Iowa Dental School, graduated from Central in May with a 3.63 grade point average while majoring in physics.
Graduating cum laude from Central, Gray was a student representative to the Central board of trustees for two years and a member of the Central College Student Senate. He also received an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. Other campus awards for Gray include the Mentink Award, for leadership and inspiration on and off the football field; as well as the Ron Schipper Leadership Award.
Gray participated in a variety of community service activities while at Central, including the Children and Family Urban Youth Ministries in Des Moines. On Earth Day, he volunteered at the Neil Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Prairie City. Other community services include the iExplore “STEM” event and the Fellowship of Christian Athlete summer camps, both hosted at Central College.
A two-year captain and starting quarterback for the Dutch, Gray was a first team all-Iowa Conference quarterback in 2016. He holds school records for completion percentage in a season (64.3%) and a career (62.8%). He finished his career with a total of 3,987 passing yards and 42 touchdowns. His five passing touchdowns against Wartburg on October 22, 2016 is also program record.
Gray becomes the sixth Central student-athlete to win the male or female award in its 17-year history. Raegan Schultz Wagner (volleyball, track and field) was honored for 2003-04. Adam Duerfeldt (baseball) and Katie Pederson Whipple (volleyball, track and field) were recognized for 2005-06 and Jill (Ziskovsy) Halcomb (track and field) was cited for 2010-11. Kyle Frieschlag (men’s tennis) joined the club in 2013-14.
He also becomes the first football player to be honored since quarterback Wyatt Hanus of the University of Dubuque in 2012-13.
