CLEVELAND, OHIO – Bowling Green’s Nikki Sorgi (softball) and Ball State’s Chris Adams (tennis) have been named the recipients of the 2021 Bob James Memorial Scholarship Award by the Mid-American Conference Faculty Athletics Representatives as announced by the league office today.
In its 33rd year, the Bob James Memorial Scholarship Award recognizes one female and one male student who have achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.50 and have displayed good character, leadership and citizenship. The students are nominated during the year in which they complete their final season of eligibility. The $5,000 post-graduate scholarship is awarded in honor of Bob James, the second commissioner in Mid-American Conference history (1964-71).
In her career, Sorgi played in 145 total games, making 128 starts. She batted .273 with 104 hits and 47 runs batted in. She was a part-time starter as a freshman in 2018, then moved into the lineup for her final three years, playing in all 71 of the Falcons’ games over her last two years. She played in 120 of BGSU’s 122 games in her last three seasons.
Sorgi was inducted into Chi Eta Sigma, the national college athlete honor society, in 2020, and also was one of three finalists for the BGSU athletics department’s Female Junior Scholar-Athlete of the Year award that spring. A member of BGSU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), she served as that organization’s Vice President in the 2020-21 academic year. Sorgi also was a BGSU Pre-Professional Program Intern in ’20-21 after working as a nursing assistant at Beaumont Health the previous year.
For the past six years, she and her two siblings have spearheaded a blanket drive for C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, raising money to buy materials, then organizing events in which those materials are used to make blankets that are donated to the hospital in Ann Arbor, Mich. They have made over 1,000 blankets since starting the program. Sorgi, an applied health science/pre-medicine major at BGSU, made the Dean’s List in every year at BGSU, and was named Outstanding Senior by the College of Health and Human Services in 2021. Sorgi graduated Summa Cum Laude in April of 2021 with a Bachelor of Applied Health Science degree and a 3.96 cumulative GPA. She is currently enrolled in graduate school at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Chris Adams has held a 4.0 grade point average in accounting all four years at Ball State. The recent graduate, was a 2020 CoSIDA Academic All-American At-Large Third Team and a member of the 2020 CoSIDA Academic All-District Team.
Adams has earned the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) academic team and individual award so far three times and will likely be recognized again this summer. He has earned Mid-American Conference Singles Player of the Week and Doubles Team of the Week honors a multitude of times along with being tabbed an Academic All-MAC honoree.
Adams, finished his career at Ball State with a 52-43 singles mark and a 52-37 doubles ledger. He primarily play on the top court for doubles throughout his career.
Additional Female 2021 Bob James Memorial Award Nominees:
Arden Hudson, Ball State University (Gymnastics)
Molly McCreedy, University at Buffalo (W. Track & Field)
Kyra Bussell, Central Michigan University (W. Basketball)
Hannah Potter, Central Michigan University (W. Lacrosse)
Catherine Biddle, Northern Illinois University (Gymnastics)
Lexa Bauer, University of Toledo (W. Soccer)
Hannah Sargent, Western Michigan University (W. Soccer)
Additional Male 2021 Bob James Memorial Award Nominees:
Derek Downs, Bowling Green State University (Football)
Joseph Andrassy, Kent State University (Wrestling)
Spencer Klinsky, Miami University (M. Swimming & Diving)
Elijah Sanchez, Northern Illinois University (Baseball)
Past Bob James Award Winners
2021 Nikki Sorgi, Bowling Green (softball); Chris Adams, Ball State (tennis)
2020 Maria Cegledy, Kent State (softball); Timothy Rooney, Kent State (wrestling)
2019 Julia Beyer, Bowling Green (Gymnastics); Paul Garbarino, Bowling Green (Cross Country)
2018 Alyssa Heintschel, Ball State (Soccer); John McCarty, Central Michigan (Basketball)
2017 Kelsi White, Miami (Field Hockey); Tanner Barton, Ball State (Swimming & Diving)
2016 Julia Lombardi, Eastern Michigan (Soccer); Jordan Italiano, Kent State (Football)
2015 Stephanie Haugh, Kent State (Soccer); Dustin Page, Northern Illinois (Soccer)
2014 Lindsey Butterfield, Bowling Green (Volleyball); Kyle Smith, Central Michigan (Track & Field)
2013 Skylar Chew, Ball State (Soccer); Nabal Jefferson, Northern Illinois (Football)
2012 Kristin Hoffman, Northern Illinois (Volleyball); Briggs Orsbon, Ball State (Football)
2011 Christine Chiricosta, Bowling Green (Tennis); Jon Edgington, Miami (Baseball)
2010 Megan Chronister, Bowling Green (Gymnastics); Tim Hiller, Western Michigan (Football)
2009 Gonzalo Barinaga, Ball State (Football); Jillian Wolosiansky, Eastern Michigan (Volleyball)
2008 Wynn Michalak, Central Michigan (Wrestling); Stephanie Swiger, Bowling Green (Volleyball)
2007 Matt Lefeld, Bowling Green (Basketball); Jody Yednock, Northern Illinois (Gymnastics)
2006 David Mitchell, Miami (Cross Country/Track & Field); Marie Zidek, Northern Illinois (Volleyball)
2005 Burke Badenhop, Bowling Green (Baseball); Robin Davidson, Toledo (Soccer)
2004 Travis Barclay, Ball State (Football); Andrea Kremer, Miami (Track & Field)
2003 Brett Faustman, Central Michigan (Wrestling) and Katrina Kerns, Bowling Green (Track & Field)
2002 Anthony Malik, Bowling Green (Soccer); Kate Miller, Kent State (Basketball)
2001 Nick Iagulli, Miami (Track & Field); Jennifer Jarjosa, Bowling Green (Swimming)
2000 Cato Coleman, Miami (Track & Field); Laura Szczepanski, Ball State (Gymnastics)
1999 Wendy Feldman, Central Michigan (Volleyball); Justin Millard, Akron (Soccer)
1998 Desmond Johnston, Akron (Soccer); Janelle Tranquillo, Ball State (Field Hockey)
1997 Joseph Burch, Bowling Green (Soccer); Sarah Mikrut, Ball State (Gymnastics)
1996 Kristin Gaddis, Bowling Green (Cross Country/Track); Dustin Swinehart, Miami (Soccer)
1995 Dana Drew, Toledo (Basketball); Stephen Fetyko, Eastern Michigan (Swimming)
1994 Bob Dudley, Bowling Green (Football); Kris Parks, Ohio (Cross Country/Track)
1993 Sander Scott, Central Michigan (Basketball); Kelly Weir, Ohio (Basketball)
1992 Jeff Bender, Central Michigan (Football); Julie Young, Western Michigan (Volleyball)
1991 Pat Jackson, Bowling Green (Football); Kristin McDaniel, Kent State (Track & Field)
1990 Linda Popovich, Bowling Green (Volleyball); Danny Rieman, Ball State (Baseball)
1989 Kim Keenan, Kent State (Cross Country/Track); Rick Winegardner, Ball State (Swimming)
