Ashley Dimkich and Greg Dombrowski SEC Student Athelete Finalists

		Ashley Dimkich and Greg Dombrowski Named Finalists for SEC’s Student-Athlete of the Year award

Juggling college life, work and extracurricular activities can be a daunting task for many. However, College of Education students Ashley Dimkich and Greg Dombrowski are examples of how it can be done with excellent results.

Dimkich and Dombrowski were named finalists for the Southeastern Conference’s H. Boyd McWhorter Student-Athlete of the Year award. They will receive a $5,000 post-graduate scholarship for their efforts. Each SEC institution nominated one male and one female student-athlete for this annual award.

An elementary education major, Dimkich is a three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member and was selected as a National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Scholar-Athlete in 2005-06. This year the San Marino, Calif., native also was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society, and the Frank G. Ham Society of Character, the highest honor a student-athlete can receive from the UK Athletics Department.

Dimkich also is active in the community, participating in the “Cats That Care” program, running in the Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure, and volunteering her time with the YMCA, the Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity and the Kentucky Children’s Hospital.

On the field, Dimkich is a captain for the UK softball team and has started all but one game this season. She is third on the team in runs batted in and in home runs.

Dombrowski, a kinesiology major, also has appeared on the SEC Academic Honor Roll three times in his career and has made the UK Dean’s List and the UK Athletics Director’s Honor Roll. The Rome, N.Y., native is a member of Delta Epsilon Iota and the Golden Key International Honor Society, and he joined Dimkich in the 2008 Society of Character induction class.

Community involvement also is a staple of Dombrowski’s efforts. He has served as an assistant coach for Special Olympics teams and has promoted the Children’s Miracle League. He speaks at local elementary schools and volunteers his time with the Red Cross and God’s Pantry.

A pitcher for the UK baseball team, Dombrowski was a preseason National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association third-team All-America selection and is a nominee for the Roger Clemens Award, which is given to the nation’s top pitcher. He is 4-0 on the year and is third on the team with 33 strike outs while giving up just 42 hits and 14 runs.