GREENSBORO - Seventy-seven student-athletes will be honored for their academic excellence on Thursday at the 2011 North Carolina A&T Academic Luncheon at Stallings Ballroom. The scholar athletes were recognized for finishing the 2010-11 school year with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
The N.C. A&T cheer squad led the athletics department with 19 ladies listed for their academic achievement. Women's track and field led the varsity sports. The team not only had an impressive 12 members named, but the majority of the roster - two out of every three athletes on the team - are scholar athletes. Proportionately, the softball team had the edge throughout the department. Nine of head coach Mamie Jones' 13 players posted a 3.0 or higher.
"Academic excellence is an important part of building a viable, stable and respectable athletics department," said N.C. A&T director of athletics Earl Hilton. "It is not bought cheaply. While others find many other things to do with their time, these students chose to study. It shows they already have the ability to make the right decisions.
Thursday's guest speaker was legendary N.C. A&T quarterback Alan Hooker. Hooker is the executive director of Veritas Sports Academy, and has more than 20 years of experience in the education field. Before beginning his professional career, he starred for four years at N.C. A&T (1984-87). He broke 15 passing records during his career. Nine of those records still stand.
The Aggies will continue the celebration of their athletes on Monday, April 25 at 6 p.m., during the annual All-Sports Banquet held at the Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons. Tickets are available at A&T's Moore Gymnasium main office.
2011 Academic Luncheon Honorees
Baseball
Tyler Boone, Malik Clark, Carvell Copeland, Matthew Erskine, Kelvin Freeman, Stefan Jordan, Andre McKoy, Mark Nales, Esterlin Paulino, Michael Radford, Reginald Washington
Bowling
Amber Brown, Sarah Taylor, April Terry
Cheerleading
Melisa Abernathy, Jasmine Allen, Kristen Bagley, Jytavia Broome, Alexandria Dillard, Rayven Dulin, Nicole Jones, Jennifer McClendon, Tia Mills, Ra Muse, Quantetsa Respass, Jamiese Rushing, Jasmine Silas, Moniqucia Simmons, Lauren Towns, Ashley Washington, Courtney Whitset, Tiffany Whitset, Randi Wilson
Football
Julian Alford, Demonta Brown, Travis Cosby, Donald Mattocks, Devin Moore, William Robinson, Marque Sutton, Jamal Wardlaw
Men's Basketball
Marc Hill, Jared Williams
Men's Track and Field
Danzeto Cephas, Jonathan Hancock, Patrick Mills, Kendrick Smith, Isaiah Thompson
Softball
Morgan Chappell, Lauren Clement, Sabrina Edmonds, Hope Fletcher, Juanita Jernigan, Tranea Jones, Tiffany Macklin, Dominique Smith, Erica Turner
Swimming
Allison Byrd, Jasmine Gurley, Keshia McDonald
Women's Basketball
Lillian Bullock, Tracy King, Crystal Murdaugh
Women's Tennis
Victorea Austin, Chloe McSwain
Women's Track and Field
Janessa Benn, Arianna Betts, Amanda Breeden, Natalia Bygrave, Shakia Forbes, Ruth-Cassandra Hunt, Kayla Jackson, Samira Johnson, Krystin Lawson, Chantel Luedeke, Kristin Rush, Camille Wilkerson
Volleyball
Tatiana Cooper, Chelsea Fox, Amber Inman, Devonte' Reese
