Nik Caner-Medley Selected As Inaugural LeFrak Scholar
10/10/2003 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 10, 2003
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Director of Athletics Deborah A. Yow announced that Terrapin sophomore forward Nik Caner-Medley (Portland, Maine) was named the first-ever recipient of the LeFrak Scholarship for men's basketball. The scholarship represents an endowment established by the Samuel J. and Ethel LeFrak Foundation, and will be awarded annually to three Maryland student-athletes who exhibit extraordinary athletic, leadership and scholarship abilities.
"Dr. LeFrak is remembered fondly by a number of his former teammates, who are delighted about the scholarship, as are we at the University," said Yow.
The Samuel J. and Ethel LeFrak Foundation announced in June it would donate $1 million to establish the Samuel J. LeFrak Scholars Fund at the University of Maryland. The gift will be used to fund annual LeFrak Scholars in the sports of men's basketball (beginning in 2003-04), football and men's track (both beginning in 2004-05). Beginning with the 2004-05 academic year, three LeFrak scholarships will be awarded annually, concurrently and in perpetuity.
"I would like to thank the LeFrak family for selecting me for this prestigious award," said Caner-Medley. "It is an honor for me to be associated with Samuel LeFrak - someone who has done so much for the University."
Caner-Medley, a versatile, aggressive, slashing scorer for the Terrapins at the forward position, is one of eight returning letterwinners to Gary Williams' young, but talented squad for 2003-04. The only returning starter on the hardwood, Caner-Medley averaged 5.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game as a freshman, and especially proved his mettle in the postseason, increasing his scoring average during the Terps' run to the NCAA Sweet 16.
The first freshman to appear regularly in the Terps' starting lineup since current Washington Wizard Steve Blake in 1999, Caner-Medley has recovered fully from an ankle injury suffered during the final game of the 2003 season and has established himself among the team leaders for 2003-04.
"We are very grateful to the LeFrak Foundation for being so generous to the University and the basketball program," said Williams. "Nik Caner-Medley represents our team well, both on and off the court."
The late Samuel LeFrak was a 1940 graduate of the University of Maryland and one of its most distinguished alumni. He was chairman of the LeFrak Organization, one of the world's largest private development companies. LeFrak's business accomplishments included building a community of apartments, stores and office buildings in Queens, N.Y.; and creating and developing Battery City Park in New York City, as well as Newport, a $10 billion community in New Jersey. While a student at Maryland, LeFrak was a varsity track letterman, president of The Latch Key Honor Society, and an officer of his class and of Tau Epsilon Phi.
