Men’s Basketball Josh Lazzarino Chosen as AMC’s A.O. Duer Scholarship Nominee

Men's Basketball Josh Lazzarino Chosen as AMC's A.O. Duer Scholarship Nominee- Wil Teague, Sports Information Director, 6/24/25

Paragould, Ark. - Each year, the NAIA national office accepts nominations for various national awards. These nominations come from a select few student-athletes who are chosen to represent their conference at the national level. For the 2024-25 school year, Men's Basketball member Josh Lazzarino has been chosen to represent the American Midwest Conference for the A.O. Duer Scholarship Award.  

The A.O. Duer Scholarship award is a prestigious honor, as the qualifications of the scholarship require the nominee to meet a higher standard than most. To qualify, one must be a junior student-athlete having an overall GPA of at least 3.75 on a 4.0 scale, must be a model student athlete having outstanding character, citizenship, and a positive impact on their team. The award was named in honor of A.O. Duer, the NAIA's former executive secretary, for his 26 years of service to the Association. The award has been presented since 1967 to one male and one female student-athlete who have excelled in these three key areas. 

The American Midwest Conference selected Wolcottville, IN, native Josh Lazzarino to be the conference's face for the male nominees. Without a doubt, if you got a chance to meet Josh, you would see that he meets all of the listed requirements. He is a strong voice of positivity and Christian love on the campus of Crowley's Ridge College, being heavily involved with on-campus activities, including Ridge Connection (CRC's Campus Ministry) and the Men's Basketball Program. Josh is a true leader on his team, always pointing the right direction and helping his teammates reach goals together. Moreover, Josh doesn't just limit himself to on-campus work as he also graciously and passionately extends his time and effort into the community of Paragould, working with the college ministry at a local congregation (Center Hill CoC). Josh truly gives it his all in everything he does. His standup character and positivity impact both peers and superiors alike. In the classroom, Josh holds a 3.93 GPA and is set to graduate this May with his Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies, where he will pursue full-time ministry. 

The recipient of the scholarship will be announced on NAIA National Awards Day this coming September. Pioneer Athletics is honored to have Josh represent CRC as well as the AMC in this spotlight. We know there is no one more deserving. Congratulations, Josh. #GOPIONEERS

Check out the official release here: https://amcsportsonline.com/news/2025/6/24/general-crowleys-ridges-lazzarino-recognized-with-amc-a-o-duer-scholarship-nomination.aspx