Jalei Oglesby earned the Jeanice Falls Award as the most outstanding senior female athlete at Arkansas Tech University and Jesus Zizumbo earned the John Tucker Award as the most outstanding senior male athlete at ATU for the 2022-23 academic year.
Oglesby was a four-year member of the Golden Suns basketball team. During the 2022-23 season, she led the Great American Conference and ranked 12th in NCAA Division II in scoring (20.6 points per game). Oglesby became just the second ATU women’s basketball player in the last quarter-century to average 20 or more points per game in a season. Her 18.1 points per game career scoring average ranks fourth in Golden Suns history.
A native of Howe, Okla., Oglesby was named College Sports Communicators Academic All-America, all-region and All-GAC first team in 2022-23.
Oglesby graduated from ATU in spring 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in rehabilitation science.
“It means the world to me to go from having three knee surgeries and then finally getting back on the court…I didn’t know if I would be the same player or play at the level I wanted to,” said Oglesby. “To receive this award, along with the other ones throughout the season, I’m truly blessed. To be on the court with my teammates and to be coached by Coach (Dave) Wilbers and Coach (Brad) Palmer, it was a great year and I couldn’t have asked for anything else.”
Zizumbo was a five-year member of the Wonder Boys football team. He became Arkansas Tech’s all-time leader in career field goals made on the final play of his final home game, a 44-yard field goal that gave the Wonder Boys a 22-21 win over Southwestern Oklahoma State University on Oct. 29, 2022. Zizumbo went on to finish with 42 career made field goals. His 235 career points rank sixth-most in Arkansas Tech football history.
A native of Springdale, Zizumbo was named All-America, all-region and All-GAC first team after he connected on 14-of-16 field goal attempts (including a school-record tying 52-yard field goal against Southeastern Oklahoma State University) and 34-of-35 point after touchdown kicks during his senior season.
Zizumbo graduated from ATU in spring 2023 with a Bachelor of Science degree in health and physical education.
“The award doesn’t mean as much to me as the journey that got me here,” said Zizumbo. “I went from a freshman fail year to senior stardom. I’d like to thank my parents for working hard and allowing me to enjoy this sport. I’d like to thank my siblings for supporting me from afar. My coaches and my teammates trusted me every Saturday to get those three points. I’d like to thank my wife for motivating me every game day. She would always send me a motivational text message before the game, at halftime and after the game. Most of all, I’d like to thank my holder, Aaron Winn. He should be up here holding the award with me. I’m thankful for all the things I’ve done here at Tech. To all my fellow athletes, I say stay Tech tough.”
The Jeanice Falls Award and the John Tucker Award are voted on by the ATU Faculty Athletic Committee, which is chaired by Dr. Shellie Hanna. Nominations are made by ATU head coaches.
The ATU Faculty Athletic Committee also selected outstanding senior scholar-athlete award winners for 2022-23.
The Jeanice Falls Award for outstanding female scholar-athlete was bestowed upon Brooke Prewitt of Cleburne, Texas, who graduated from ATU in spring 2023 with a Master of Education degree. She was a five-year member of the Golden Suns softball team.
“I would like to thank everyone who helped me get this far in my sport and in my academics,” said Prewitt. “It has been a long five years, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Tech has provided me with so many opportunities, on and off the field, and supported me along the way. I’d like to thank my teammates, my coaches, past and present, and my family. Everyone has been there, supporting me through all the degrees and I truly believe that after Tech I’ll be prepared to go out in the real world.”
Jack Grissom of Eads, Tenn., received the John Tucker Award for outstanding male scholar-athlete. He was a four-year member of the Wonder Boys football team. Grissom graduated from ATU in spring 2023 with a Master of Business Administration degree.
“The combination of my athletic career here at Tech as well as the education I received is going to prepare me for my future,” said Grissom. “This award brings that all together. I look back and remember all the long hours put in on the field and off the field. You can see it pay off in the end. I’m thankful for everything that has gotten me here.”
