SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Three Samford student-athletes earned graduate scholarships from the Southern Conference, the league released Tuesday.
 
Owen Wagoner, from the track and field team, won the 2014 Southern Conference Presidential scholarship. Jeremy Towns, from football, is the recipient of the 2014 Mike Wood scholarship, and Christy Robinson of women's basketball was awarded the 2014 William V. Moore scholarship presented by McMillan Pazdan Smith. Each of the scholarships carries a $2,000 award to help with the cost of the student-athlete's postgraduate education.
 
"I continue to be impressed with the level of commitment our student-athletes show in competition, in the classroom and in the community," Samford director of athletics Martin Newton said. "Everyone at Samford is extremely proud of these three individuals and their well-deserved honors. Owen, Jeremy and Christy are perfect examples of the true student-athletes we have at Samford."
 
Wagoner, a senior from Fort Wayne, Ind., is a four-time United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Academic All-American. On the track, he has earned All-Conference honors four times, and he has qualified for the NCAA Preliminary round for the last three-straight years. He is the No. 2 pole-vaulter in program history.
 
Wagoner has also been heavily involved in the community during his time at Samford. In the spring of 2011, he assisted with cleanup from the devastating tornados that hit the state of Alabama. He has also volunteered at a local church, volunteered at summer camps, and worked with a U9 boys soccer team through North Star Ministries.
 
Towns, a native of Dolomite, Ala., started all 11 games on the defensive line for the Samford football team that won the program's first Southern Conference title and reached the Division I-FCS playoffs for the first time since 1992. He was named second team All-Conference at the conclusion of the season. He is a two-time member of the SoCon's Academic All-Conference team, and he has been on the Dean's List every semester he has been at Samford.
 
Towns is one of the founders of RANSOM (Radical Athlete and Student Oasis Ministry) on the Samford campus. He assisted with tornado relief in Pratt City, Ala. in 2011. He also worked with the city of Birmingham on the "Hundred Days of Nonviolence" initiative. Towns is also one of the founders of the Next Level Football Camp.
 
Robinson had her best season on the court as a senior in 2013-14. She led the team in scoring and assists, and she ranked second on the squad in rebounding. The Rocky Face, Ga., native was named to the Capital One Academic All-District team in 2014. She has been named to the SoCon's Academic All-Conference team all four years, and has been named to the Academic Honor Roll three times.
 
Robinson has been involved as a volunteer with e3 Ministries, The Exceptional Foundation, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Samaritan's Feet and the United Way Food Bank. She also helped with tornado relief around the Birmingham area in 2011.
 
A total of 10 scholarships were awarded to student-athletes at Southern Conference schools. The nominees were judged 50 percent on academics, 30 percent on athletics and 20 percent on community service.