By: Mark Wasik
KENNESAW, Ga. – A total of eight Kennesaw State University student-athletes have been chosen as Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education magazine for their outstanding success in academics and athletics this spring. Earning recognition for this year was
Laysha Tunti,
Morgan Dillard,
Deldrick Franklin,
Donelius Johnson,
Delaney Heard, Silvana Lopez Ramirez,
Que Billingsley and
Sulaiman Bah.
The Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar Awards were established to honor minority undergraduate students who best exemplify academic and athletic achievement. To be included, students must compete in an intercollegiate sport, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or more, be at least a sophomore, academically, and be active on their campuses or in their communities.
Tunti, a senior from Surrey, BC, Canada, competed in 11 meets for KSU this season. She placed seventh with a personal-best total of 3355 points in the pentathlon at the CUSA Indoor Championships. She closed her career placing third in the heptathlon at the CUSA Outdoor Championships with a personal-best total of 4751 points.
Dillard, a senior from Sanford, Fla, played in 27 games for KSU this season with six starts. She shot 33.9% from the floor with 90 points and 21 steals. She graduated from KSU with a degree in interdisciplinary studies.
Franklin, a redshirt freshman linebacker from Atlanta, saw action in every game for KSU this past season and recorded tackles in four different games. He's majoring in sport management at Kennesaw State.
Johnson played in every game for KSU this season with eight starts at linebacker. He led the team in tackles and tied for the team lead in tackles for loss and sacks. The redshirt junior from Patterson, Ga. became the first player in program history to record a safety. He was named to the 2025 Phil Steele Conference USA Preseason All-Conference team this summer and is pursuing his degree in exercise science.
Heard, a graduate student from Canton, Ga., played two seasons for the men's basketball team after transferring from Alabama. He started the final five games of the year and was considered one of the top defensive players in Conference USA. He received both CUSA All-Academic and CSC Academic All-District honors this past spring.
Lopez Ramirez, a freshman from Cumming, Ga., competed in nine meets. She cleared the bar at a personal-best height of 3.58m (11'9") at the Crimson Tide Invite.
Billingsley, a redshirt freshman from Phenix City, Ala., played in 11 games for KSU this season tallying 34 tackles. He finished sixth on the team with three pass breakups and had three different games with five tackles. The defensive back had a season-high five solo tackles against Sam Houston on Nov. 16. Billingsley is a sport management major at KSU.
Bah, a redshirt junior for the Owls this season from Lilburn, Ga., did not see action this past season but tallied in seven games for the Black and Gold in 2023. He is pursuing a degree in information technology at KSU.
Inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe, Jr.'s commitment to education as well as his love for the game of tennis, U.S. colleges and universities are invited to participate in this annual awards program by nominating their outstanding sports scholars. In addition to their athletic ability and academic performance, Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars demonstrate a commitment to community service and student leadership.
The Owls Fund
The Owls Fund is the primary fundraising arm of Kennesaw State Athletics with the goal of supporting our student-athletes, coaches and each of our 18 NCAA Division I programs. Through initiatives such as Legacy Lockers, the Dot Martin Scholarship Golf Classic, sport-specific giving opportunities, general donations and season tickets, The Owls Fund connects fans with KSU's programs and student-athletes. Members receive exclusive benefits such as hospitality seating areas and events at Kennesaw State home games, and more. Joining The Owls Fund here and discover more opportunities on how you can support Kennesaw State Athletics.
