October 23, 2007
Contact: Mike Christie, Sports Information Director

USA South Presents Don Scalf Award to Ferrum's Wilson Paine

(Ferrum, VA) - The USA South Athletic Conference presented its male Don Scalf award to former Ferrum men's tennis player Wilson Paine before the start of the Ferrum/Methodist football game on Saturday, October 13. Each year the USA South presents its most prestigious awards by honoring one male and one female as the Student-Athletes of the Year. These two athletes receive the Don Scalf Award in honor of this recognition.

At Ferrum, Paine excelled both on and off the tennis court. In the classroom, he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. He received his fourth consecutive USA South All-Academic Team honor and was named a 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American last spring. Paine appeared on the Dean’s List every semester, received several scholarships and served on many campus academic boards. Athletically, Paine received USA South Honorable Mention All-Conference honors as a senior. Last season, Paine was named an Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Scholar-Athlete for the third consecutive year, the first Ferrum men's tennis player to achieve this accomplishment. Paine is currently continuing his education at Harvard University Divinity School.

Joined by many of his family members, Paine enjoyed a luncheon before heading to the game where he officially received his honor.

(from left to right) Ferrum Athletic Director Abe Naff, Jo Anne and Don Scalf, Wilson Paine, USA South Commissioner Rita Wiggs, Wilson's Parents, Charles and Lisa Brown, and Ferrum President Dr. Jennifer Braaten are all on hand for the festivities.
Don Scalf and Rita Wiggs join Wilson Paine during the ceremony.
Wilson Paine and Don Scalf share a moment at the conclusion of the ceremony.