• Thurston Banks Award History
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Jim Wells of Morehead State University and
Jerry Westbrook of Southeast Missouri State University have been named the recipients of the 2020 Ohio Valley Conference Thurston Banks Award for Distinguished Academic Service.
The award, selected by the OVC Faculty Athletics Representatives (FARs), was established in 2013 to recognize individuals (e.g. academic advisor, professor, tutor, etc.), with at least five years of service at one or more OVC member institutions, for their outstanding contributions to OVC student-athletes' academic success, learning and development as well for his or her overall commitment to the institution's athletics program.
The award is named after Dr. Thurston Banks, who served the Tennessee Tech Department of Athletics for 31 of his 34 years on the faculty and served as the Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR) for 25 years before stepping down in 2006. He was inducted into the OVC Hall of Fame in 2007.
The inaugural awards were presented to Austin Peay's Dr. Bruce Myers and Eastern Illinois' Dr. Gail Richard in 2013. Since then Tennessee Tech’s Andrew Smith and Belmont’s Betty Wiseman (2014), Austin Peay’s Dr. Gaines Hunt and Morehead State’s Dr. Peggy Osborne (2015), UT Martin’s Dr. Nell Gullett and Southeast Missouri’s Dr. Tim Rademaker (2016), Austin Peay’s Lawrence Baggett and Eastern Kentucky’s Dr. Janna Price (2017), Murray State’s Dr. Karl Hussung and Belmont’s Rich Tiner (2018) and UT Martin’s Danelle Fabianich and Tennessee Tech’s Dr. Lance Jasitt (2019) have been honored.
Wells and Westbrook will be presented their awards at the 2020 OVC Honor Brunch as part of the OVC Spring Meetings in May.
Wells served Morehead State University in several different capacities for 49 years, including as an undergraduate student and baseball student manager, to an employee for 35 years and as a retried volunteer. Following graduation he worked in the MSU Public Information, Sports Information and Publications Departments, was the manager of the University’s Sunnybrook Golf Course and served as the school’s head softball coach in 1991, leading the program to a then-record 32 victories.
In 1991 he transitioned to administration and served 17 years as the Compliance and Education Services Director. His work led to Morehead State winning seven OVC Academic Achievement Banners during his tenure.
In retirement he helped in operations for special athletic events hosted on the MSU campus and also served as the official scorekeeper for Morehead State men’s and women’s basketball. He was inducted into the Morehead State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015.
Westbrook has served Southeast Missouri State since 1995, currently in the role as a part-time faculty member. Westbrook received multiple degrees from Harding University and did his doctoral work at the University of Mississippi and worked at several institutions including Ole Miss, the University of Arkansas and the University of Chicago.
At Southeast Missouri he has served as the Director of Career Services, Instructor for Career and Life Planning and Job Search Strategy, Assistant Dean of Students, Interim Dean of Students, Instructor of General Studies, Instructor of University Studies, Instructor of Intensive English and Instructor of Middle and Secondary Education and Early Childhood Education, Adjunct Graduate Instructor of History and Philosophy of Higher Education, Foundations of HIgher Education I & II, Theories of Student Development and Cultural Diversity in Higher Education.
He is known for his support for Redhawks athletics, in particular women’s sports. He brings signs to events and cues fans to begin cheers and has been involved in efforts to furnish offices for the softball, soccer, tennis, women's basketball, volleyball and gymnastics programs as well as offices for the the director and associate director of the department of athletics.
In 2015 the Rowdy Redhawk Fan of the Year Award was re-named after him and in 2012, he also began a tradition to send off every team that made it to the OVC Tournament with a large cake, decorated in Redhawks colors that says "OVC Bound."