INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship is a highly selective award bestowed on only 42 student-athletes (21 male and 21 female) from each sports season (fall, winter, spring) across all three NCAA Divisions. Awardees include student-athletes who have excelled academically and athletically and have demonstrated superior service and leadership.
This is the second postgraduate scholarship Jones has earned after she received the prestigious Dorothy Hicks Scholarship from the Southern Conference earlier this spring.
Jones graduated with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average while double-majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The Calhoun, Ga., native will attend medical school in the fall with hopes of becoming a physician. While at Mercer, Jones was a member of the Phi Eta Honor Society and the American Chemical Society and participated in several research projects, ranging from traditional chemistry to a more biochemistry-focused investigation, and presented her findings at multiple conferences.
“For years, playing softball has given me so much,” said Jones. “From memories and relationships with my teammates, coaches, and family that will last a lifetime to an amazing education at a great school, playing softball at Mercer allowed me to live out my childhood dream of playing at the collegiate level while pursuing my dream of becoming a physician. Clearly, it has continued to bless me even after I have finished. I am so thankful for all of the staff and coaches at Mercer who helped me receive this scholarship, my family for all of the love and support they have given me in everything I do, and the NCAA for helping me continue my education. I really can’t put into words how blessed I am and how much this will help me afford the costs of medical school these next four years. God has blessed me beyond measure, and I am so eager to use these blessings to serve others in the future!”
“Allie Jones ably represents the core goals of our athletic program,” said Dr. Jeffrey Hugdahl, professor of chemistry and faculty athletics representative at Mercer. “I am grateful I had the chance to watch her grow and excel both academically and athletically over her four years at Mercer. An NCAA postgraduate scholarship requires performance at an elite level in academics and athletics over a collegiate career and is one of the most prestigious awards a collegiate athlete can earn. Allie is the embodiment of what it takes to be successful, and I look forward to seeing her continue that success as she takes the next step in her career.”
Jones has a knack for becoming a vital contributor to whatever community she finds herself in, whether that be her hometown of Calhoun, Ga., or in Macon while she was at Mercer. She spent time as a tutor both at LH Williams Elementary with its ‘Read to Succeed’ program, as well as at Mercer tutoring other students in chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, anatomy and biochemistry.
In addition to her work educationally, Jones has also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity’s ‘Light More Homes’ project, as well as the Trek or Treat and Toy Drive for Jay Hope to help children with cancer, for each of the last two years. If that weren’t enough, Jones has also spent what little free time she had assisting at the Blewer Memorial Food Distribution Center, Advent Health Gordon Hospital and local medical clinics. She was also a camp leader at more than 10 softball camps.
Jones, a two-year captain for the Bears, is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team selection and became just the second player in program history to be named a CoSIDA Academic All-American by landing on the third team in 2020. She is a three-time Academic All-SoCon selection and was named to the All-SoCon Second Team and the Southern Conference All-Tournament Team this season after being named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team in 2018.
Jones patrolled center field for the Bears for the past three seasons, Jones has started each of Mercer’s 130 games since the start of the 2019 season. She is one of five players in program history to steal at least 50 bases as a Bear and ranks fifth in stolen bases and stolen base attempts (50-for-57), sixth in stolen base percentage (.877 pct.), seventh in triples (7) and eighth in doubles (28).
A career .308 hitter (153-for-497), Jones donned the Black and Orange in 174 games while earning the starting nod 158 times. The 5-foot-7 outfielder finished with 89 runs scored and 77 RBI while slugging five home runs. Jones posted 40 multi-hit performances and 19 multi-RBI games.
She was on a torrid pace through the first 27 games of the COVID-shortened 2020 season, posting a career-best .357 batting average (30-for-84) with six doubles, three triples, 16 runs scored, 19 RBI and was a perfect 18-for-18 on stolen bases to lead Division I in stolen bases without being caught.
Jones closed out her career by hitting .306 (44-for-144) during her senior campaign while posting team highs with four home runs and 20 stolen bases. She added six doubles and two triples in 2021 while racking up 26 runs and 18 RBI. Jones ended her career on the diamond on a high note by reaching base in 18 of her final 19 games. She hit .410 over that stretch, recording 25 hits with four home runs and three doubles while scoring 16 runs and driving in 12 RBI.
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships, worth $10,000 each, are awarded to student-athletes who intend to pursue advanced degrees in graduate or professional school based on an evaluation of their academics, athletics and community service.