WAYNE, N.J. – William Paterson football senior bandit German Decena (Union City, N.J./Emerson) was named one of the 10 male national finalists for the Diverse: Issues In Higher Education 2013 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award. The winners will be profiled in the April 11 edition. The finalists were chosen from over 500 outstanding minority student-athletes nominated by their respective institutions, and the NCAA is the co-sponsor of this annual award.  German is the only Division III student-athlete among the 10 male and 10 female finalists, and he is one of five non-Division I finalists overall.

Decena was previously honored as a 2010-11 and 2011-12 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar. A member of the 2012 Capital One/College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Football Academic All-District 2 Team, Decena graduated magna cum laude from William Paterson in January of 2013 with a bachelor's degree in sociology. He was a six-time Dean's List student, and was selected to the 2010-11 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) All-Academic First Team and the 2011-12 NJAC All-Academic Honorable Mention. His community service activities during his time as a Pioneer included participating in Toys for Tots and the NJAC Cans Across the Conference food drive, Habitat for Humanity, and William Paterson's Breast Cancer Awareness Walk.

A former walk-on, Decena started the last three seasons on the defensive side of the ball for the Pioneers, moving to bandit this fall after two years at free safety.  A member of the 2012 All-NJAC First Team Defense, he led WP with 78 tackles (38 solo, 2.0 for loss), adding three pass breakups and a fumble recovery.  He also returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown during a 21-14 victory Sept. 29 at Maritime.  Ninth in the league in tackles/game (7.8) this past season, in 39 career contests and 33 starts he collected 196 tackles (84 solo, 4.0 TFL), five interceptions, 10 pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and a fumble forced.

Black Issues In Higher Education magazine, now Diverse, established the Sports Scholars Awards to honor undergraduate students of color who exemplify the standards set by tennis great Arthur Ashe Jr.

A scholar and athlete, Ashe sought to expand opportunities for young people. Each year Diverse: Issues In Higher Education invites every postsecondary institution in the country to participate in this awards program by nominating their outstanding sports scholars. In addition to their athletic ability, students named Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars must exhibit academic excellence as well as community activism.

To be included, students have to compete in an intercollegiate sport; maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.2; and are active on their campuses or in their communities. This year the NCAA partnered with Diverse to present this standout class of scholar athletes and over 500 male and female students from across the country were nominated.

Past recipients of the award include: Baylor University's (2011) Robert Griffin III, Heisman Trophy winner; the University of Tennessee's (2003) Kara Lawson, ESPN analyst who played for the WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs; San Diego State University's (1993) Marshall Faulk, NFL Hall of Famer; and the University of Kansas' (1996) Jaque Vaughn, assistant coach for the NBA's San Antonio Spurs.

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2013 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Finalists
Male Finalists Sport Institution
Andrew J. Nunez Baseball Caldwell College
Laurence Rochelle Basketball (M) University of Missouri
Ryan A. Evans Basketball (M) University of Wisconsin
Twany E. Beckham Basketball (M) University of Kentucky
Christopher J. Burnette Football University of Georgia
Craig (Clay) Belton Football The University of Findlay
Devin D. Hedgepeth Football Oklahoma State University
German E. Decena Football William Paterson University
Joel J. Kight Football University of Mississippi
Javier Balboa Gymnastics (M) University of Iowa

Female Finalists Sport Institution
Jessica N. Harlee Basketball (W) West Virginia University
Kastine E. Evans Basketball (W) University of Kentucky
Kody M. Burke Basketball (W) North Carolina State University
Monique L. Weathers Basketball (W) Benedict College
Shayla J. Bivins Basketball (W) Georgia Institute of Technology
TaKenya T. Nixon Basketball (W) Eastern Illinois University
Michelle M. Ikoma Gymnastics (W) University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Alexandra B. Couzo Soccer (W) Felician College
Ifeatu I. Okafor Track/Cross Country (W) Texas Tech University
Minami K. Yamamura Gymnastics (W) University of California, Davis