March 24, 2010
written by Gianna Cavuoto, student assistant
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — University of New Mexico senior Simon Ejdemyr becomes the fourth student-athlete in recent school history to earn an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. The criteria is based on athletic and academic achievements, as well as campus involvement, community service, volunteer activities and demonstrated leadership.
Ejdemyr is one of just 29 male student-athletes and six soccer players to capture the Fall 2009 award – a one-time grant of $7,500. He is the first Lobo men’s soccer player to receive the prestigious honor.
The three recent UNM recipients were women’s skier Kristina Strandberg in 2003, and Frank Hemingway and Jeremy Johnson in men’s track, 2006 and 2008, respectively.
“I was really happy to get this award,” said Ejdemyr, a native of Boras, Sweden. “I came to America to get a degree and I put a lot of time and effort into my academics.”
In November 2009 Ejdemyr was one of 12 scholar-athletes named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Men’s Soccer University Division First team. He was also the recipient of the Academic All-American of the Year award, receiving the highest amount of votes of all the Division I nominees.
“I’m very proud of Simon and all that he has accomplished,” said Lobo men’s soccer coach Jeremy Fishbein. “Simon is a tremendous representative of our program and his academic success is what we hope all our players strive for.”
Ejdemyr is a Political Science major with a 4.09 grade point average and a four-year starter on the Lobo men’s soccer team. He intends to pursue a law degree in international law starting in the fall of 2011.
At UNM, Ejdemyr is a three-time Academic All American honoree, two-time Far West All-region player, College Soccer News Freshman All-American first team in 2006, and four-time Mountain Pacific Sports Federation All-Conference First Team athlete.
“It’s a tribute to a lot of people,” said Ejdemyr. “I’d like to thank all the coaches and in particular Coach Fishbein because they really emphasized academic success and have been very supportive.”
The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships are awarded to promote and encourage postgraduate education by rewarding the Association’s most accomplished student-athletes through their participation in NCAA championship and/or emerging sports.