Kalamazoo College's Mark Ghafari is recipient of the 2013-14 Albert L. Deal Scholar-Athlete Award as announced by Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Commissioner David Neilson on Thursday.
The award recognizes a senior male athlete who excelled in academics and athletics, as well as displayed outstanding leadership in his community. The award honors former MIAA commissioner Albert Deal (1971-91).
A native of Grosse Pointe Shores, Mich., and graduate of Grosse Pointe University Liggett School, Ghafari was a four-year varsity letter winner in men's basketball for Kalamazoo during his career.
A shooting guard, Ghafari scored 1,444 points during his career, including a 24.0 scoring average in his senior year that ranked him seventh among NCAA Division III players. He finished fifth on Kalamazoo's all-time career scoring list. He led the MIAA in scoring during the 2013-14 season, averaging 19.5 points per contest in league play, becoming the first Hornet to win the conference scoring title in 23 years. He set a school record for points in a game with a 46-point performance against Alma, and set another school mark by making 23 free throws in a game against DePauw.
A three-year captain for the Hornets, Ghafari was a two-time All-MIAA first team selection and was selected to the d3hoops.com All-Great Lakes Region third team this past season.
Ghafari currently holds a 3.793 grade point average and will graduate June 15 with a degree in economics. He was a four-time member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and a two-time Capital One NCAA Division III Academic All-America men's basketball selection, earning third team honors last year and being selected to the first team this year. He also was named to the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan College Academic-Athletic Honor Team this year and last year and was chosen for the National Association of Basketball Coaches Honors Court in 2013.
Ghafari also was involved in numerous campus and community activities at Kalamazoo. He was part of the college's Athletic Leadership Team, which put together events for Special Olympics as well as a program at Woodward Elementary School in Kalamazoo. He was a President's Student Ambassador for the college, representing Kalamazoo to alumni, donors, trustees and community leaders, and also volunteers as a class agent for the college's Alumni Office. In addition, Ghafari tutored adults seeking to get their GED certificate through Goodwill Industries, and organized a men's basketball community service program through Loaves and Fishes, a Kalamazoo nonprofit agency.
Mark Ghafari is the son of Dr. Georges and Louana Ghafari of Grosse Pointe Shores.
Calvin College's Nicole Michmerhuizen was presented with the Sheila Wallace Kovalchik Scholar-Athlete Award as the league's top female senior athlete. This award honors former commissioner Sheila Wallace Kovalchik (1991-2002).
"Mark and Nicole have had marvelous careers these last four years in the classroom, on the field of competition, and as role models in our conference. Their selection for these awards from such an exceptional group of nominees is an achievement for which they should take great pride," Commissioner Neilson said.