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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Metro State's
Jesse Wagstaff (men's basketball) and
Mitra Hirad (women's tennis) were both named Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Honor Student-Athletes on Thursday by the conference office. Each of the 14 schools in the RMAC chooses on male and one female student-athlete to represent the school. To be eligible for the RMAC Honor Student-Athlete award, individuals must be an athlete in one of the conference sponsored championship sports; carry at least a 3.20 Grade Point Average (GPA); be either a starter or key reserve on their respective team; be of good character and must have participated at the active member institution for two (2) or more seasons in at least one (1) sport. True freshmen and first year transfers are not eligible for this award.
Wagstaff became the ninth player in Metro State's illustrious history to earn All-America honors, the last coming in 2005 when Mark Worthington was named Daktronics second team All-America and NABC Player of the Year. This season, he was named second team All-America by Division II Bulletin and third team All-America by Daktronics.
Wagstaff, a native of Canberra, Australia, led the Roadrunners in scoring and rebounding this season, averaging 17.8 points and 7.5 rebounds. He also shot 47.9 percent from the field, including 40.9 percent from the outside and was second on the team with 53 steals. He finished his career ranked fourth in school history in scoring (1,545 points), fourth in rebounds (750) and first in free throws made (407). He also ranks among the top-10 in steals, games played and field goals.
He was also named RMAC Player of the Year and RMAC Academic Player of the Year as a senior and first team All-RMAC. As a junior, he was named to the RMAC East Division first team and he was named to the honorable mention team as a sophomore.
Also an excellent student, Wagstaff was named ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA first team Academic All-America this season. He graduated last month with a 4.00 grade point average as a civil engineering technology major. As a junior, he was named third team Academic All-America.
Wagstaff is also active in the community as he tutors students in math and participated in a food drive and mentored high school student-athletes from Lincoln High School with the men’s basketball team.
Hirad, a native of Littleton, Colo., has seen plenty of success in the classroom as on the courts as a tennis player at Metro State. She has played at No. 1 singles for Metro State her entire career, helping the Roadrunners improve their record each season.
During the fall of 2008, Hirad won the consolation bracket at the ITA regional tournament in Kearney, Neb. She rattled off five consecutive wins after losing her opening-round match.
This spring, she currently leads the team in doubles wins and total wins, teaming with freshman Yerica Pessoa at the No. 2 doubles spot for one of the best records in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Hirad won the consolation bracket at the 2008 Fall ITA Central Region Tournament. She also posted a winning record at that tournament as a junior.
Also an excellent student, Hirad has twice been named Academic All-RMAC and will earn those honors again this spring. She majored in sports industry operations and graduated with a cumulative GPA of 3.58.
Wagstaff and Hirad were also named Metro State Male and Female Student-Athletes of the Year earlier this spring.