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WESLEYAN STUDENT-ATHLETES GARNER ACADEMIC HONORS
MACON, Ga. – Wesleyan College student-athletes garnered numerous academic honors from the institution and the Great South Athletic Conference during the first half of the 2009-10 competition year.
Twenty-one total student-athletes earned either GSAC All-Academic honors or Wesleyan College Dean’s List or President’s Scholar recognition. The Cross Country and Tennis teams set the standard for the entire program with half their team members claiming one of the three honors.
“At Wesleyan, we pride ourselves on developing the scholar-athlete,” said Vice President for Student Affairs and Director of Athletics Patty M. Gibbs. “It is clear that our athletes have the ability to balance the demands of a rigorous academic program with the demands of our athletic program. The athletic department is proud of all their accomplishments.”
Ten student-athletes earned the institution’s top academic honor for the semester. Cecelia Batt, Aditi Dey, Huyen Nguyen, Noelle Webster, Emily Epperson, Azea Mustafa, Hannah Rawcliffe, She-Marie Steadman, Daria Gorbunova, Katie McIntosh and Anna Plue were tabbed President’s Scholars for recording perfect 4.0 grade point averages in the fall semester.
The Soccer program had seven total student-athletes earn an honor with standouts Epperson and Mustafa receiving both President’s Scholar recognition and GSAC All-Academic accolades.
Wesleyan College places a high priority on academics and strives to represent the ideals of NCAA Division III athletics. Division III athletics features student-athletes who receive no financial aid related to their athletic ability and athletic departments are staffed and funded like any other department in the university. Division III athletics departments place special importance on the impact of athletics on the participants rather than on the spectators. The student-athlete's experience is of paramount concern. Division III athletics encourages participation by maximizing the number and variety of athletics opportunities available to students, placing primary emphasis on regional in-season and conference competition.
The Pioneers sponsor six NCAA Division III sports (Cross Country, Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball, Tennis, Softball) and also competes in intercollegiate equestrian competitions.
Sport-by-Sport Breakdown
(DL = Dean’s List; PS = President’s Scholar; GSAC = GSAC All-Academic Team)
Cross Country:
Dana Amihere (DL) - Senior
Adrianne Warlick (DL) - Senior
Cecelia Batt (PS & GSAC) - Senior
Aditi Dey (PS) – Freshman
Belle Thomas (GSAC) - Junior
Soccer:
Emily Epperson (PS & GSAC) - Junior
Azea Mustafa (PS & GSAC) - Sophomore
Hannah Rawcliffe (PS) - Freshman
She-Marie Steadman (PS) – Freshman
Carissa Brogdon (GSAC) – Senior
Jessica Brogdon (GSAC) – Senior
Amber Campbell (GSAC) - Junior
Volleyball:
Alaina Avera (DL & GSAC) - Sophomore
Huyen Nguyen (PS) - Freshman
Noelle Webster (PS) – Freshman
Lauren Elser (GSAC) - Senior
Tennis:
Soshawn Blair (DL) - Freshman
Jemima Suwa (DL) - Freshman
Yi Wang (DL) - Senior
Daria Gorbunova (PS) - Freshman
Katie McIntosh (PS) - Freshman
Equestrian:
Anna Plue (PS) – Sophomore
THOMAS EARNS GSAC ALL-CONFERENCE ACCOLADES
LAGRANGE, Ga. – Belle Thomas’s second place finish at the 2009 Great South Athletic Conference Cross Country Championship helped the Pioneers to a fifth place team finish overall.
Thomas, named to the GSAC All-Conference team for the third consecutive year, completed the 6K race in 24:30.95, which was 20 seconds slower than winner Caitlin McMahon of Huntingdon who ran away from the field. Wesleyan’s Cecilia Batt was the Pioneers next best finisher, earning 12th place with a time of 26:00.37. Aditi Dey (36:24.08), Sabrina Edmondson (37:04.39), Jessica Ruiz (40:29.78) and Adrianne Warlick (43:42.34) were the remaining Wesleyan runners to score for the team.
The Pioneers finished just ahead of Piedmont College to conclude the 2009 campaign.
WESLEYAN COMPETES FINAL TUNE-UP FOR GSAC CHAMPIONSHIP
ATLANTA, Ga. – Wesleyan College competed in its final event prior to the Great South Athletic Conference Championship, placing ninth at the Oglethorpe Fall Classic.
Belle Thomas continued to serve as the team leader, finishing with a time of 23:01.34 to earn a 27th place finish. Cecilia Batt checked in two-and-a-half minutes later to be the Pioneers second finisher.
Wesleyan concludes the 2009 campaign at the GSAC Championship hosted by LaGrange College on November 7.
WESLEYAN COMPETES at STACKED MEET
MARIETTA, Ga. – Wesleyan College faced some of its stiffest competition of the season at the 2009 Southern Challenge hosted by Chattahoochee Tech.
The Pioneers finished 11th out of 12 teams in a field that included two of the top junior college teams in the country as well as three NCAA Division II foes.
Belle Thomas again led the way with a 24th place finish in a time of 22:52.02.
WESLEYAN CLAIMS TWO TOP-12 FINISHES in GSAC PREVIEW
LaGRANGE, Ga. – Belle Thomas and Cecilia Batt set the bar high after posting a pair of top-12 finishes at the LaGrange Invitational.
The race served as a preview meet for the Great South Athletic Conference championship to be held at the same site next month.
Thomas landed her best finish of the season, claiming seventh place overall while Batt checked in five spots later in 12th place. As a team, the Pioneers finished seventh out of nine teams competing.
Wesleyan will take a week off before getting back into action at the Southern Challenge on October 10.
WESLEYAN COMPETES at BERRY COLLEGE CROSS COUNTRY INVITATIONAL
DAWSON, Ga. – Belle Thomas led Wesleyan College cross country for the third straight meet, securing a top-20 finish at the Darton College Invitational.
Turning in a time of 23:57.81, Thomas placed 17th overall in the 61-person field. Cecilia Batt finished 31st with a 25:47.72. Sabrina Edmonson (38:26.84 – 59th), Adrianne Warlick (39:45.84 – 60th) and Aditi Dey (41:43.58 – 61st) comprised the remainder of the scoring runners for the Pioneers. Wesleyan placed seventh overall at the meet.
Wesleyan returns to action next Saturday at the LaGrange Invitational in LaGrange, Ga.
WESLEYAN COMPETES at BERRY COLLEGE CROSS COUNTRY INVITATIONAL
ROME, Ga. – Competing in one of the largest meets in the southeast this weekend, Wesleyan College placed 18th at the 2009 Berry College Cross Country Invitational.
Belle Thomas once again led the Pioneers, finishing the challenging course in 23:31.51 which was good enough for 87th overall. Her time was the best among 17 Great South Athletic Conference student-athletes who were entered in the race. Cecilia Batt crossed the finish line less than a minute after Thomas in a time of 24:16.93, placing 101st. Behind the performance of their top two runners, the Pioneers finished ahead of LaGrange College and just two spots below Spelman College, the other GSAC team represented.
Sabrina Edmonson (35:18.92 – 163rd), Adrianne Warlick (36:03.15 – 167th), Aditi Dey (37:19.14 – 168th) and Jessica Ruiz (38:52.29 – 170th) rounded out the Pioneer squad.
Wesleyan returns to action next Saturday at the Darton Invitational in Dawson, Ga.
THOMAS POSTS TOP-20 FINISH IN WESLEYAN COLLEGE CROSS COUNTRY OPENER
THE ROCK, Ga. – Junior Belle Thomas posted a top-20 finish to pace the Wesleyan College Cross Country team in their 2009 debut at the Rock Ranch Invitational hosted by Gordon College.
Thomas completed the 5000-meter course in a time of 23:28.70, the third best time in her career. The Rydal, Ga., native has five top-20 finishes in her last seven collegiate races dating back to last season. Thomas also turned in the best performance among 18 Great South Athletic Conference student-athletes competing in the meet. Cecilia Batt posted a time of 24:20.64 on her way to 29th in the individual standings. Sabrina Edmonson (49th), Aditi Day (51st), Adrianne Warlick (52nd) and Jessica Ruiz (53rd) rounded out the Wesleyan competitors.
The Pioneers finished sixth overall just three points behind conference rival LaGrange College and trailing Spelman College by just 16 points.
Darton College dominated the meet, claiming the top-4 spots in the individual standings on the way to the team title.
Wesleyan returns to action next Saturday at the Berry Invitational.
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