PROVO, Utah – BYU track and field athlete Blake Ellis has been awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship for his academic and athletic achievement.
The NCAA awards up to 126 postgraduate scholarships annually. The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are at least in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition.
The one-time non-renewable NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships of $10,000 are awarded three times a year corresponding to each sport season (fall, winter and spring). Each sports season there are 21 scholarships available for men and 21 scholarships available for women for use in an accredited graduate program.
“I want to thank my parents and wife for their patience and allowing me to chase my dreams of becoming a Division I athlete,” Ellis said. “I especially want to thank Coach Kyle (Grossarth) for everything he did in helping me get here. He took a chance on me as a walk-on that I probably didn't deserve and played a huge role in getting me to where I am today. He made my experience at BYU better than I could have ever hoped for. This scholarship will make a major difference for my family as we start medical school, and I owe it all to the people who have lifted me up along the way."
A four-year letterman, Ellis competed in sprints for the BYU men’s track and field team. As a senior he helped BYU’s men’s DMR squad take third at the 2020 MPSF Championships while running the 400m leg. Ellis also earned Academic All-MPSF honors.
During his junior season in 2019, Ellis earned honorable mention All-America honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships as a member of BYU’s 4x400m relay team. At the end of the season, he earned a spot on the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team.
“Blake receiving this NCAA scholarship is a fitting conclusion to his collegiate career,” BYU assistant track coach Kyle Grossarth said. “After beginning his BYU track career as a walk-on, he was able to earn an athletic scholarship because of his consistent effort. This scholarship is another testament to the hard work and dedication he has demonstrated both on the track and in the classroom throughout his time at BYU.”
For his career, Ellis earned personal best times of 47.54 seconds in the 400m and 21.92 seconds in the 200m. Ellis graduated from BYU in Exercise Science in April 2020. He will begin medical school at the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine in Meridian, Idaho, this fall.
For more information about the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship program, visit NCAA.org.