Softball academic success recognized
7/26/2016 6:58:00 AM | Softball
HUNTSVILLE – The Sam Houston State softball program notched 15 players on the 2015-16 Southland Conference Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll, re-enforcing the squad's commitment in the classroom as 208 total Bearkat athletes were recognized.
“It means a lot,” head coach Bob Brock said. “It really shows what kind of recruiting we do. We try to get the student first. Most of the time we can catch some people ahead of time. This group of 15 is almost the whole. They really proved what we do as far as making grades.”
The players included graduating seniors Jennie Kieval, Katie Doerre and Tiffany Castillo; juniors Casey Sax, Tayler Atkinson, Ashley Kopps and Hannah Marino; sophomores Delaney Neal, Samantha Belongia, Jordan Franks and Erin Alaniz as well as freshmen Bailey Watson, Lindsey McLeod, Ashley Goetz and Emily Bounds.
Brock credits the recognition to the program's academic services which includes the Learning Enhancement Center. The LEC is staffed by the associate athletic director for student services and assistant athletic director. The two work as a team in advising student-athletes and coordinating the Sam Houston student-athlete services program.
“It's a combination of our academic department and the overall tutoring program,” Brock said. “The coaches make sure everyone goes to class. We play as a team and we try to work together to achieve academic success as well.”
The Southland Conference Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll is released at the conclusion of the fall and spring semesters, recognizing student-athletes who maintained a minimum 3.00 grade point average (GPA) during the semester in which their sport's championship competition occurred.
“We're going to get them all graduating,” Brock said. “As far as I'm concerned, I've always thought of college and getting the degree being a big thing. If I sat down, I'd only count a couple players who have not received their degree in my years of coaching.”
Sam Houston student-athletes have produced department average GPAs of 3.0 or higher eight of the last nine semesters and averages above 2.87 for 20 consecutive semesters. Those are GPAs higher than the overall student average for the entire university.
