ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- A record-number of 928 student-athletes were named to the Southern Conference's 1996-97 Academic Honor Roll it was announced today by Commissioner Wright Waters.
To qualify for the honor roll, a student-athlete must pass 24 hours in two semesters during the academic year and have at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale for those semesters. Graduating student-athletes whose class loads did not require them to take 24 hours also qualified
The 928 student-athletes named to the 1996-97 honor roll surpassed the old conference record of 818 set in 1995-96.
"The fact that so many of our athletes are carrying such high grade point averages speaks volumes about the perspective in which academics and athletics have been placed at Southern Conference institutions," said Waters. "In our league today, approximately one in every four student-athletes is carrying a 3.0 grade point average."
Southern Conference athletic directors established the academic honor roll prior to the 1988-89 athletic year as a way to recognize the league's outstanding student-athletes. Since its inception, the number of qualifiers has increased in six of eight subsequent years. The initial honor roll in 1988-89 had 364 qualifiers. The number increased to 393 in 1989-90, 467 in 1990-91, 507 in 1992-93 and 747 in 1993-94. The honor roll had 723 members in 1994-95.
Davidson had the most qualifiers in 1996-97 with 209, followed by Appalachian State (130), Furman (96), UT-Chattanooga (83), Marshall (80), Georgia Southern (79), The Citadel (66), East Tennessee State (64), VMI (61) and Western Carolina (60).
The honor roll included 33 student-athletes who posted 4.0 grade point averages in 1996-97. They were: Jenny Chase, Appalachian State (cross country/track and field); Merideth Thompson, Appalachian State (basketball); Brian Wozny, Appalachian State (football); Will Bagwell, The Citadel (tennis); Aaron Green, The Citadel (football); Coburn Hartsell, The Citadel (wrestling); Jimmy Jones, The Citadel (baseball); Ashley Maner, Davidson (tennis); Jeremy Thomas, East Tennessee State (football); Megan Fischer, Furman (cross country/track and field); Kristin Kiessling, Furman (volleyball); Brian Nutter, Furman (football); Kerrick Thomas, Furman (football); Megan Pfeiffer, Georgia Southern (volleyball); Kristin Strickland, Georgia Southern (swimming); Danelle Toole, Georgia Southern (basketball/softball); Brandon Williams, Georgia Southern (baseball); Alyssa Bengel, Marshall (tennis); Thomas Bock, Marshall (cross country/track and field); Aimee Bohn, Marshall (cross country/track and field); Maureen Hackett, Marshall (cross country/track and field); Lisa Hodgetts, Marshall (tennis); Kelly Hoyle, UT-Chattanooga (cross country/track and field); Amanda Lynch, UT-Chattanooga (cross country/track and field); Mary Jane Middelkoop, UT-Chattanooga (cross country/track and field); Ivan Poullaos, UT-Chattanooga (tennis); Spencer Thomas, UT-Chattanooga (football); Damian Walsh, UT-Chattanooga (cross country/track and field); Patrick Stutts, VMI (football); Sheri Gibson, Western Carolina (volleyball); Ramsey Herron, Western Carolina (volleyball); Jeff Howard, Western Carolina (cross country/track and field); and Cathrine Sawyers, Western Carolina (volleyball).
"To be named to the conference honor roll is one of the most prestigious things that a student-athlete in our league can accomplish," said Waters. "These people are proof that the true purpose of intercollegiate athletics does succeed in the Southern Conference. The record number of student-athletes that were named to the honor roll this year indicates to me that our schools are recruiting student-athletes that fit into the overall mission of each university. Our institutions, and especially these 928 student-athletes are to be commended."