Oct. 22, 2008

NORMAN, Okla. - Former Oklahoma football player Carl Pendleton has been named as one of five recipients for the ninth annual John McLendon Memorial Minority Scholarship. Pendleton will receive $10,000 towards his graduate studies.

The other winners are Keenan Blalark of Northern Illinois, Alejandra Diaz-Calderon of Notre Dame, Keunta Miles of Central Florida and Araceli Ortiz of Stanford.

Pendleton II is a 2006 graduate of Oklahoma, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology. As a member of the Sooner football team, Pendleton was a starter for the 2004 Big 12 Championship team, as well as the BCS National Championship game that year.

He was a member of Oklahoma's Student Athlete Advisory Council and, in 2006, represented the school at the NCAA Leadership Conference.

Due to an unhealthy environment, Pendleton bypassed his final season of eligibility to adopt his stepbrother. While supporting a two-person family, Pendleton has remained a positive role model in the community. He has taught Sunday school classes for elementary school age boys and is involved with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Oklahoma. He also travels on a weekly basis to speak to schools, churches and youth groups.

Pendleton is a native of Sapulpa, Okla. He currently works as a graduate assistant in the athletics department at Oklahoma and is working toward his master's degree in adult and higher education administration with an emphasis in intercollegiate athletics.

The winners will each receive a $10,000 grant to be used towards postgraduate studies in athletics administration. Funding for the scholarship program has been provided in part by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA); the Cleveland Cavaliers; Major League Baseball (MLB); the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC); the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA); the National Basketball Association (NBA); the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA); and Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Minorities (as defined by federal guidelines) who intend to pursue a postgraduate degree in athletics administration are eligible for these scholarships. Students were required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and have demonstrated leadership qualities on an institutional or community level.

The John McLendon Memorial Minority Postgraduate Scholarship Awards are presented to senior-level minority students who intend to pursue a graduate degree in athletics administration.