SPRINGFIELD, Ohio— Macy Hubbard, 2017 Wittenberg women's golf graduate, was named a recipient of the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship for spring of the 2016-17 school year. The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship is one of the most prestigious awards a college student-athlete can achieve.
An NCAA Championship contender for the Tigers golf program over her last three campaigns, Hubbard will receive a one-time renewable $7,500 scholarship that she can apply to graduate studies starting in August of 2017.
Hubbard is one of 174 student-athletes that have earned an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship during the 2016-17 school year.
"My experience as a Wittenberg student and golfer can be summed up in one word: priceless. The success I was able to share with my team, three conference titles, three NCAA team top-3 finishes, along with countless tournament victories pales in comparison to the memories we created. However, being a part of such a remarkable program allowed me to reap the benefits personally in the honors I have been lucky to receive over the years. Our hours on the course, in the gym, the classroom, the van, the hotels and even on the plane rides, paid off," said Hubbard.
During her time at Wittenberg, Hubbard carded 93 quality rounds of golf. Hubbard also led the Tigers to the program's first NCAA Division III Championships in 2014, where she has since been the national runner-up three years straight. For her leadership, Hubbard was given Wittenberg Golf's Carrie Frey Award for her impact on the team.
"It will be very strange looking into the rear-view mirror of the golf van this fall and not seeing Macy sitting in one the back seats. Macy had been a staple in the top 5 of the women's team for four years and leaves the program as the most decorated [Wittenberg] golfer of all time, achieving numerous individual and team wins, as well as 3 consecutive Individual NCAA Runner-up finishes," said Andy Bonar, interim golf coach.
The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship tops the Mason, Ohio native's long list of career awards. Donning the red and white, she has been named First Team All-NCAC and a WGCA All-American Scholar all four years. Hubbard has also twice earned the NCAC Championship medal for landing herself a bid on top of the conference leaderboard during her Tiger campaign.
Hubbard becomes the third female student-athlete and the seventh Tiger overall to earn one of the 174 annual scholarships awarded each year by the NCAA. She joins Scott Schwartz (men's basketball) in 1996, Kent Rafey (football) in 1998, Dawn Reinhardt (women's volleyball) in 1999, and Skip Ivery (football/track and field) in 2004, Corey Stump (football) 2016, and her peer Emily Kahlig (women's volleyball) in 2017.
"I am humbled and honored to have received this NCAA postgraduate scholarship and am excited for the opportunities it will provide after my time as a Wittenberg Tiger," said Hubbard. "While it was a goal of mine to put myself in the position to receive such honors, this was not possible single-handily. I want to thank my parents for not only helping my become the person that I am but also for their unwavering support on and off the course. It is an amazing feeling to have the support of my entire family which includes my sister, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. It was a running joke that I always had the largest gallery at all three NCAA appearances because my entire family never hesitated to make the trip. I want to thank Coach Roope and Coach B for providing our teams with the opportunities to be successful, encouraging us to never settle for mediocrity, and supporting us in any capacity."
"Macy is the epitome of a Wittenberg Tiger. Not only did she excel on the course but also in the classroom as an All-American Scholar. I, as well as Coach Roope, am extremely proud and honored to have coached her the last 4 years. I cannot think of a better recipient of such a prestigious award than Macy Hubbard," said Bonar.
Hubbard has decided to defer the scholarship for now, hoping to find success in a career as a professional golfer. Beyond her family and coaches, she also thanks all of her professors for helping her be a scholar in the classroom and working around her schedule. Hubbard thanks her teammates too, knowing that they will always be like family to her. She expressed gratitude for Wittenberg, and is thankful for the support yet to come as she continues her journey in the professional world.
The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship was created in 1964 to promote and encourage postgraduate education by rewarding the NCAA's most accomplished student-athletes. Nominees must maintain at least a 3.2 grade point average and perform with "distinction" in intercollegiate competition. The student-athlete must also intend to continue academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree as a part-time or full-time graduate student.