ROCK HILL, S.C. - The 2008-09 South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll was announced from the SAC office today, with a conference-record 822 student-athletes recognized for their achievements in the classroom.
For the third year in a row, Newberry College led the way with 113 student-athletes recognized. Wingate University was close behind with 108. First-year conference member Brevard College had 100. Tusculum College placed 99 on the honor roll, followed by Mars Hill College with 93, Carson-Newman College with 87, Lincoln Memorial University (77), Catawba College (73), and Lenoir-Rhyne University (72).
Newberry had over 100 honorees on the listing for the fourth consecutive season.
"The student-athletes at Newberry College have again defined academic success with their achievements in the classroom this past year," said Athletics Director Brad Edwards. "Clearly, we are pleased with their efforts and are thankful for their commitment to their academic progress."
The SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll recognizes those student-athletes who carry at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average and have completed at least one season in the conference-sponsored sports of football, women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's and women's tennis and men's and women's golf.
The 822 student-athletes represent 36 U.S. states, 30 foreign countries and three Canadian provinces. More than 25 percent (211) of the honorees held grade point averages of 3.75 or higher. Of those, 21 student-athletes carried a perfect 4.00 GPA.
Of the 21 SAC student-athletes with perfect grade point averages, five are from Newberry College, led by ESPN the Magazine First Team Academic All-American and SAC Scholar-Athlete Laura Marquardt, who graduated earlier this month. Other Newberry student-athletes with perfect GPAs are Jareth Bailey (football), Jessica Bearzatto (women's basketball), Maria Besio (women's golf) and Chelsie Hilbourn (softball).
In the conference, the sport of women's soccer had the most honorees with 114, followed by football with 100. They were followed by baseball (89), men's soccer (73), volleyball (71), softball (65), women's basketball (62), women's cross country (49), men's tennis (39), women's tennis (38), men's golf (35), men's basketball (31), men's cross country (29) and women's golf (27).
Newberry College also sponsors wrestling and competitive cheerleading as intercollegiate sports. Adding those two teams brings Newberry's total of qualified student-athletes to 127. Below are Newberry's qualified student-athletes and their hometowns. Click here to view the entire 2009 South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll.
Football
Jareth Bailey; Lancaster, S.C.
Brandon Gantt; Lexington, S.C.
Lequawn James; North, S.C.
Connor Hilton; Hickory, N.C.
John Carnell; Charleston, S.C.
Andrew Slenski; Mauldin, S.C.
Brooks Burnette; Bonneau, S.C.
Eric Goode; Chesnee, S.C.
Todd Moon; Anderson, S.C.
Jonathan Dailey; Clinton, S.C.
Nick Toole; Barnwell, S.C.
Brett Gault; Ridgeville, S.C.
Erik Barber; Prosperity, S.C.
Bryan Ehrlich; San Antonio, Texas
Jonathan Brewer; Easley, S.C.
Ben Hyder; Pickens, S.C.
Michael Ward; Greenville, S.C.
Patrick Barefoot; Chesterfield, S.C.
Matt Holmes; Johnston, S.C.
Justin Greene; Irmo, S.C.
Elmano Hamilton; Charleston, S.C.
BJ Blanding; Pendleton, S.C.
Women's Basketball
Jessica Bearzatto; Eltham, Victoria, Australia
Laura Marquardt; Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
Anita Bulcher; Russia, Ohio
Courtney Browne; Maroochydore, Queensland, Australia
LeAnne Watson; Stone Mountain, Ga.
Helen McKinney; Owensboro, Ky.
Leeara Creet; Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Monica Alexander; Norcross, Ga.
Janine Ward; Tallevast, Fla.
Amy Browne; Maroochydore, Queensland, Australia
Briana Johnson; Irmo, S.C.
Women's Soccer
Najla Bubtana; Miami, Fla.
Allie Johns; Lexington, S.C.
Lindsey Landgrebe; Springfield, Ill.
Meagan Heney; Ajax, Ontario, Canada
Sara Geisman; Middleburg Heights, Ohio
Megan Hrenchir; Lawrence, Kan.
Sara Griffith; Marietta, Ga.
Katelyn Luby; Charleston, S.C.
Megan Douglas; Bradford, West Yorkshire, England
Elizabeth Jones; Anchorage, Alaska
Lauren Carbonell; Miami, Fla.
Lora Moore; Raleigh, N.C.
Jesse Langdon; Raleigh, N.C.
Christen Chestnutt; Debary, Fla.
Volleyball
Brianna Blakely; Houston, Texas
Nadia Andrade; Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Fernanda Frey; Sao Paulo, Brazil
Brittany Wood; Pendleton, S.C.
Kara Harris; Grandview, Texas
Niki Hroblak; Lake Wylie, S.C.
Priscila Sales; Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Dani Hroblak; Lake Wylie, S.C.
Lorena Maia; Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Kember Lichtie; Amarillo, Texas
Men's Soccer
Jeffrey Bell; North Augusta, S.C.
Jordan Walton; Charleston, S.C.
Jacob Lines; Florence, S.C.
William Harbuck; Barnwell, S.C.
Jonathan Caratella; Rock Hill, S.C.
Lucas Noboa; Deltona, Fla.
Ruben Bravo; Camden, S.C.
Scott Busbee; Columbia, S.C.
Justin Blomdahl; Pawleys Island, S.C.
Women's Tennis
Allison Kyzer; Saluda, S.C.
Men's Tennis
Lucas Mattos; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Pavle Popovic; Belgrade, Serbia
Women's Cross Country
Kasey Tucker; Greenwood, S.C.
Rachel Tooley; Tega Cay, S.C.
Ashton Sullivan; Barnwell, S.C.
Jennifer Johnson; Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
Danielle Walkup; Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Women's Golf
Maria Besio; Buenos Aires, Argentina
Caroline Larsson; Forshaga, Sweden
Sarah Grigor; Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Kaitlin O'Sullivan; Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Sara Johansson; Duved, Sweden
Men's Cross Country
Ty Skinner; Woodruff, S.C.
Bradley House; Lexington, S.C.
David Faulkner; Lexington, S.C.
Seth Utley; Columbia, S.C.
Men's Golf
Matthew Killen; Yorkshire, England
Sean Collard; Gauteng, South Africa
Stephen Holmes; Chapin, S.C.
Chase Durham; Chapin, S.C.
John Allen Meetze; Chapin, S.C.
Ben Lown; North Augusta, S.C.
Brandon Burnside; North Augusta, S.C.
Softball
Chelsie Hilbourn; Loris, S.C.
Whitney Wiles; Iva, S.C.
Jessica Reid; Walhalla, S.C.
Haley Watson; Goodlettsville, Tenn.
Tiffany Pigage; Lexington, S.C.
Taylor Edmund; Florence, S.C.
Aissa Gatewood; North Charleston, S.C.
Richelle Mirabal; Tampa, Fla.
Sara Powell; Ocean View, Del.
Amanda Huckestein; Port Charlotte, Fla.
Baseball
Derek Bley; Upper Arlington, Ohio
Michael Morin; Miami, Fla.
Hunter Porter; Chapin, S.C.
Wade Ruff; Rock Hill, S.C.
Edmund Gravely; Rocky Mount, N.C.
Tyler Hartman; Deland, Fla.
Casio Grider; Hephzibah, Ga.
Men's Basketball
Coleman Young; Spartanburg, S.C.
Ryan Barnes; Oviedo, Fla.
Felder Leaphart; Gilbert, S.C.
Brett Goodwell; Inglewood, Calif.
Charles Ndoloum; Montverde, Fla.
Grant Domsic; Winter Garden, Fla.
Wrestling
Raleigh Abbott; Powder Springs, Ga.
Willie Jarman; Newberry, S.C.
Steven McLeod; Gilbert, S.C.
Karl Reed; Mount Laurel, N.J.
Cheerleading
Morgan Marlowe; Boiling Springs, S.C.
Jessica Troutman; Fort Lawn, S.C.
Samantha Dorsey; Charleston, S.C.
Rachel Arnette; Lake View, S.C.
Katherine Wilson; Spartanburg, S.C.
Jessi Brown; Gainesville, Ga.
Niki Zumbrunnen; Columbia, S.C.
Kelsee Stephens; Gaffney, S.C.
Megan Packer; Marlton, N.J.
Whitney Alexander; Greenville, S.C.
