Date: March 7, 2003
Contact: Brian Laubscher (540) 458-8676
Release: Upon Receipt

W&L's MELILLO AWARDED NCAA POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP
Senior Football Player Among 58 Awardees

Senior John Melillo

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Washington and Lee senior football player John Melillo (Forney, Texas/Belle Plaine) has been awarded a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Postgraduate Scholarship. The award is a $6,900 scholarship for academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree as a full-time or part-time graduate student.

Melillo was one of 58 awardees from NCAA All-Divisions who received the scholarship after participating in a fall sport. The NCAA also awards 116 scholarships for students participating in winter and spring sports for a total of 174 scholarships annually.

Melillo was a three-year starter for the Generals' offensive line, helping pave the way for W&L's running backs to break the 1,000-yard barrier each season. The line also allowed just 22 sacks in over 500 pass attempts the last two seasons.

An English major, Melillo maintains a 4.025 grade-point average and has been on the Honor Roll every year and the Dean's List every semester. He is a Robert E. Lee Honor Scholar and a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Eta Sigma. For his athletic and academic endeavors, he has been honored as a Verizon Academic All-District selection three times and as a Verizon First Team Academic All-American following the 2002 season.

Melillo is the 20th W&L athlete to receive an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship since 1970 and the first since Nathan Hottle in 1997.

-- GENERALS --