2014 GSC FireSeeds Fall All-Academic Team Released
Complete Release (PDF) -- Honor Roll (PDF)
Birmingham, Ala.—The Gulf South Conference is proud to announce its 2014
FireSeeds All-Academic Team for the fall sports season.
Sixty-nine student-athletes, including one four-time member, five three-time standouts and 19 repeat winners were selected:
men’s cross country (7),
women’s cross country (7),
football (23),
men’s soccer (13),
women’s soccer (11) and
volleyball (8).
Academic All-GSC Teams are selected by the Gulf South Conference Sports Information Directors (SIDs) and Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs) in a joint vote. Nominees must have an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.20 or better on a 4.00 scale for their entire academic career and may not be freshmen or first-semester or quarter transfers. The student-athlete must be a significant contributor to the squad. Other factors include leadership, community service and extra-curricular activities. SIDs and FARs are not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes. The number of student-athletes selected in each sport is determined by the number of positions normally involved in the playing of that sport. Ties are not broken.
Lee University (2015-16),
Mississippi College (2016-17) and
Spring Hill College (2016-17, m/w soccer and women's golf) student-athletes are not eligible for selection until they become official members.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY:
The Men’s Cross Country All-Academic Team is led by
four-time member,
Valdosta State's Jesse Prince. Prince was the lone returnee on the squad, earning an unanimous selection after wrapping his Blazers' career with All-GSC First Team laurels.
Also garnering unanimous votes were
Alabama Huntsville's Myles Scarano,
Union's Will Donelson and
Jacob Whitney and
West Florida's Nick Merrett. Rounding out the seven-member team was
North Alabama's Matt Cross and
VSU graduate Casey Claborn. Claborn graduated from VSU with a perfect 4.00 G.P.A, while Donelson also featured a 4.00 average as a sophomore.
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY:
The Women’s Cross Country All-Academic Team is highlighted by one three-time winner and another returning standout.
Valdosta State's Juliana Boehm is a
three-time member and
Alabama Huntsville's Michelle Kruse is back from the 2012 squad.
All seven members of this year's squad achieved First Team or Second Team accolades at this year's GSC Championship Meet. First Team runners include UAH's Kruse and
Kailey Williams, VSU's Boehm and
West Georgia's Morgan Laushey. Second Team finishers are
North Alabama's Olivia Brady and
Union's BethAnne Davis and
Lindsey Jakeman. Brady stood out from the group as the lone unanimous selection.
FOOTBALL:
One
three-time winner, eight returning 2013 selections and one 2012 returnee spearhead the Football All-Academic Team.
West Georgia wide receiver Alex Macaulay makes his
third all-time appearance. Returning from a year ago are
North Alabama defensive lineman DeAndre Harrison,
wide receiver Lee Mayhall and
quarterback Luke Wingo,
Valdosta State offensive lineman Colin Glasco,
linebacker Kenny Murphy and
offensive lineman Michael Miller and
UWG quarterback Dallas Dickey and
offensive lineman Garrison Ushery. Back from a year's hiatus is
West Alabama punter Jordan Ikner.
Delta State provided four Football members in
Michael Gibbs,
Justin Holt,
Richard Nash and
Tyler Sullivan.
Florida Tech added the trio of
Manny Abad,
Ramsey Sellers and
Chris Stapleton.
Chris Beno and
Ben Peterson represent
Shorter, while
Laurance Carmichael and
Ryan Harper rounded out UNA's five standouts.
Cade Amaker and
Ty Morgan complete UWA's trio.
MEN’S SOCCER:
Seven returning members headline the Men’s Soccer All-Academic Team.
Back from 2013 are
Alabama Huntsville forward Mitch Wilson and
goalkeeper Michael Winstone,
Christian Brothers midfielder/forward Kevin Tikhomiroff,
West Alabama midfielder Evan Beutler and
goalkeeper Lavares Stone and
West Florida goalkeeper Stuart McCrory.
CBU defender Sean Rutter also collects his second honor after making the 2012 squad.
Six players were also unanimous selections:
UAH's Ryo Suzuki and Wilson,
Union's Matt Kesler and
Alex Preatt and
UWA's Lavares Stone and Beutler. Beutler and
Shorter's Matt Goss were the lone members to achieve a perfect 4.00 G.P.A. Rounding the team and UU's duo was
senior defender Chip Crockarell.
WOMEN’S SOCCER:
A pair of
West Florida three-time winners, highlight the 11-member Women’s Soccer All-Academic Team.
Senior defender/midfielders Kelly Andres and
Taylor Harbison are back for the third consecutive season, while also claiming All-GSC First Team laurels in 2013. Returning from last year's All-Academic squad are
Valdosta State goalkeeper Olivia Mills and
West Georgia midfielder Ashlynn Deese. Deese is also the squad's lone 4.00 G.P.A. standout.
Overall, the Academic Team includes seven First Team All-GSC stars. Joining Andres and Harbison are
Christian Brothers midfielder/forward Carmen Manes and
midfielder Camilla Rodrigues,
North Alabama defender Ellis Hillman and
forward Chloe Richards. Richards earned the GSC Player of the Year after ending the regular season with a NCAA-leading 57 points and 26 goals. Second Team All-GSC winner,
UWF's Sara Helgadottir, and
CBU's Gabrielle Pilgrim were the lone sophomores on the Academic squad. Completing the team was
Hannah Miller, who became
Union's first-ever member.
VOLLEYBALL:
The eight-player All-Academic Volleyball Team features just one returning selection.
Alabama Huntsville setter Ashton Baker finishes her career with back-to-back Academic laurels.
Valdosta State middle blocker Kelsey Hedman was the only unanimous selection and she was joined by
Shorter outside hitter Elizabeth Dowd as 4.00 grade-point standouts.
All but one Academic winner also captured All-GSC honors. First Team All-GSC members are Dowd,
North Alabama outside hitter Megan Gorey and
VSU setter Jessica Codato. Second Team selections are Baker,
SU's Anna Graham,
VSU's Jenna Kirkwood and
UWF's Cora Bidlack.
HONOR ROLL:
Shorter led the Fall All-Academic Honor Roll for the second year in a row by duplicating last year's total of 83 members.
Mississippi College was next up, recording 72 student-athletes in its first year as a transitional member.
Delta State added 68 honorees, while
Valdosta State (66) and
Union (63) completed the Top Five.
West Georgia and
West Alabama tallied 61 standouts, followed by
North Alabama (54) and
transitional member Lee (49) and
Alabama Huntsville (47).
West Florida (42) and
Christian Brothers (30) completed the list of full-time members, while
Spring Hill (25 in men's and women's soccer) and
Florida Tech (17 in football) joined the group as affiliate institutions.
Qualification for the GSC Honor Roll is automatic based on at least a 3.00 grade-point average and does not require a voting process.
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