University of Delaware Athletics
Dejoun Lee Named an FCS ADA Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2/24/2022 11:15:00 AM | Football
NEWARK, Del. – University of Delaware running back Dejoun Lee was named one of the nation's two recipients of the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) Postgraduate Scholarships. The association selected the 21st annual Scholar-Athletes of the Year out of a field of nine finalists.
"To even be on a list of this nature is an absolute honor in itself," said Lee. "There were plenty of deserving candidates and I just want to take the time to applaud the excellent work of my fellow student-athletes. With that being said it is with the utmost pride that I accept this prestigious award. I want to thank my family, friends and coaches for being in my corner through thick and thin. You have instilled within me a level of grit I couldn't have achieved on my own and I will forever be grateful. Where life goes from here I am unsure, but I know it will start with the pursuit of my lifelong dream of playing in the NFL. After the conclusion of my career, I plan to work in some area of sports. I'm a competitor through and through and that fire will never die out, and in my opinion, sports are the best way to consistently experience the competitive culture I crave."
Lee earned his master's degree in international business from Delaware in December 2021. He was an All-CAA Second Team selection this past fall after ranking fourth in the conference with 4.6 yards per carry and 74.0 yards per game. He had four games with at least 100 rushing yards, including a stretch of three-straight contests. A threat in multiple ways, Lee also ranked sixth in the CAA with 102.1 all-purpose yards per game as he also caught 13 passes for 90 yards and returned 11 kickoffs for 219 yards.
The Springfield, Virginia native was a two-time All-CAA performer after being named the 2021 Spring CAA Offensive Player of the Year. For the 2020-21 season, Lee was named an AP Second Team All-American, a Stats Perform All-American, a CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree and a Walter Payton Award Finalist in addition to earning the Edgar Johnson Award, which annually recognizes a premier male student-athlete at Delaware. He finished his career ranked eighth in UD history for both rushing yards (2,447) and all-purpose yards (4,201).
Lee was joined by Kama Kamaka, a linebacker from the University of San Diego, as the two recipients of the $5,000 scholarships. The nine finalists were picked from the 50 FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team honorees that were selected in January. Each of the nominees was required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate or graduate study and have been a starter or key player with legitimate athletics credentials.
"Once again, we faced a difficult decision to select the two recipients of the FCS ADA Postgraduate Scholarship," said FCS ADA President Nicki Moore, Vice President and Director of Athletics at Colgate University. "These two young men represent the very best in FCS football, excelling in the classroom, on the field, in their lives, and by contributing to important initiatives in their communities. Our committee was truly pleased with the opportunity to contribute to their continuing education and success beyond football in their postgraduate education and careers. On behalf of the FCS ADA, congratulations to Kama and Dejoun and also to their coaches, teammates, faculty, administrators, and families."
A special Review Committee of FCS athletics directors was responsible for selecting the 2021-22 Academic All-Star Team and FCS ADA Postgraduate Scholarship finalists and recipients. This year's Review Committee consisted of: Nicki Moore, Colgate University (Chair); Tom Michael, Eastern Illinois University; Milton Overton, Kennesaw State University; and Ashley Robinson, Jackson State University.
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