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Richard Johnson Named WCC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year 

Pepperdine senior men's tennis player Richard Johnson was recognized for his excellence on the court, in the classroom, and in the community when he was named the West Coast Conference's (WCC) Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year and also awarded the WCC's Postgraduate Scholarship.

The scholar-athlete award is selected by a vote of the WCC's institutional representatives to recognize the finest accomplishments in athletics, academics, and community service by individuals who have completed their athletic eligibility.

Johnson became the third consecutive Pepperdine male student-athlete to earn the WCC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and fifth overall while becoming the second straight male student-athlete to receive the conference's postgraduate scholarship award.

Men's golfer Michael Putnam and baseball player Nick Kliebert were honored with the WCC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award in 2005 and 2006, respectively, while Keith Jarbo of the men's basketball team received the post-graduate scholarship in 2006.

Since the inception of postgraduate scholarship in 2004, Pepperdine has had two male student-athletes receive the award.

Johnson, a three-time All-WCC honoree, was a key player on the Waves' 2006 national championship team, earning NCAA Championship All-Tournament doubles team honors with partner Omar Altmann. Johnson also helped the Waves to four consecutive WCC Championships. During his time in Malibu, the Waves tallied a 102-22 (.822) overall record and advanced to four NCAA Championships.

Individually, Johnson compiled a 73-54 (.575) record in singles play. He also helped Pepperdine earn the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's (ITA) National Team Sportsmanship Award in 2004.

Johnson, who is expected to graduate magna cum laude in December with a degree in biology, was named to the WCC All-Academic team twice, has been recognized on the WCC Commissioner's Honor Roll three times, is a four-year member of the Dean's List, and is a four-time Pepperdine Scholar-Athlete.

In addition to his athletic and academic accomplishments, Johnson also volunteered as a tutor at the local elementary school and as a tennis instructor to underprivileged children in his hometown of Grand Junction, Colorado. He participated in the Boys and Girls Club charity pro-am, helping to raise over $300,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America in the Conejo Valley region of Southern California.