Haver earns MAC’s Bob James Memorial Award

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Bowling Green State University diver Malika Haver has earned one of the most prestigious individual awards given out by the Mid-American Conference.

Haver has been named the 2022 female recipient of the MAC’s Bob James Memorial Scholarship Award.

In its 34th year, the Bob James Memorial Scholarship Award recognizes one female and one male student who have achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.5 and have displayed good character, leadership, and citizenship.

Haver concluded her career at BGSU winning the department’s Community Service Individual of the Year award at the Ziggys.

She earned Academic All-MAC twice and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, finishing with a 3.95 GPA.

The Falcons were named a CSCAA Scholar All-American team in all three years with Haver on the roster, recording the fifth-highest GPA in the nation in 2021.

On the boards, Haver made consistent progress throughout her career. She had no diving experience prior to her career at Bowling Green but was a state-qualifying gymnast in high school.

In her first season, she recorded her personal best of 207.3 in the one-meter dive at FIU Relay Invite, placing fifth.

The following season, she registered personal bests in the one-meter (219.85) and three-meter (210.86) against Buffalo.

In her final season, she again bested her previous career-highs, scoring 234.83 in the one-meter and 232.95 in the three-meter. At the 2022 MAC Championships, she placed 17th in the three-meter dive.

Haver becomes the 11th BGSU female student-athlete to win the Bob James Memorial Award. She is the second consecutive winner, with Nikki Sorgi of the BGSU softball team winning last year.

In 2019, BGSU swept the award, with gymnast Julia Beyer and cross country runner Paul Garbarino winning.

Bowling Green has had more male (seven — tied for first), female (11), and overall (18) recipients of the award than any other school.

BGSU has had six more overall winners than second-place Ball State (12), and no other MAC institution has had more than seven overall recipients.

The students are nominated during the year in which they complete their final season of eligibility. The $5,000 post-graduate scholarship is awarded in honor of Bob James, the second commissioner in Mid-American Conference history (1964-71).

Northern Illinois wrestler Mason Kauffman was the 2022 male recipient of the award.

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