Jan. 22, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Gulf South Conference announced the fall sport All-Academic First Team selections, and Honor Roll selections for Football, Soccer, Volleyball, and Cross Country. The Argonauts earned six first team selections, and 37 other earned honor roll selections. West Florida was third in the conference with the 43 selections. Only Harding (73), and Ouachita Baptist (50) had more honorees, and both of those schools have football. In fact, Harding had 30 football players, and Ouachita Baptist had 10 football players, so excluding football, the Argonauts tied with Harding for the top total of 43 honorees.
First Team selections for UWF included one volleyball athlete, one women's cross country runner, and two soccer athletes from both the men's and women's teams. The West Florida Women's Soccer team had the conference's second highest team total of 16 athletes make the first team and honor roll. Only Harding, with 30 football athletes, had a higher number, and their roster was over twice as large as UWF women's soccer.
Senior Women's Cross Country runner Diana Sitar, was a first team selection. Sitar, an Exercise Science Major, has a cumulative GPA of 3.87, and was also a first team All-GSC selection for her top 15 finish in the conference cross country meet this past season.
Sophomore Jesse Keroack, who is a Junior academically, earned first team selection, adding to the volleyball team's record breaking season for individual awards from the Conference. Keroack, a setter and right side hitter, is a psychology major, with a 3.88 cumulative GPA.
Men's Soccer Seniors, Keith Savage and Okang Nkosi earned first team honors to go along with their athletic achievements. Savage, a three time All-GSC team member for athletic play, earned his second all-academic award, and is an Exercise Science major with a 3.76 cumulative GPA. Nkosi had the second highest overall GPA for all soccer athletes in the conference, with a 3.97, as an Education major. He was also a first team All-GSC athletic selection, and this was his second All-Academic first team selection.
Women's Soccer Sophomores Courtney Jones and Kristin Rhodes were first team selections. Jones was also a first team All-GSC selection, and is setting UWF and GSC records every match she plays. The Argos goalkeeper was named an Honorable Mention All-American this season, by the Daktronics All-American Team, and is an Exercise Science major with a 3.75 cumulative GPA. Rhodes, a forward/midfielder, scored three goals for the Argos this season, and is a Criminal Justice major, with a 3.82 cumulative GPA.
Honorable mention honorees for West Florida include the following:
Volleyball: Jerica Carter (Jr / 3.65 / Elementary Education) Madeline Gonzalez (Jr / 3.13 / Biology) Sarah Harrison (Sr / 3.73 / Studio Art) Jamie Nichols (Fr / 3.65 / Advertising) Louann Rusch (Jr / 3.00 / MBA Program) Maddie Staub (Fr / 3.63 / Exercise Science)
Men's Cross Country: Jared Black (Fr / 3.08 / Athletic Training) Tyler Endicott (Fr / 3.55 / Spanish) Sean Jansen (Fr / 3.24 / Electrical Engineering) Andrew Maedel (Fr / 3.23 / Undecided) Nicholas Maedel (Fr / 3.28 / Exercise Science) Eric Mayes (Jr / 3.32 / Exercise Science)
Women's Cross Country: Lindsey Failing (Sr / 3.59 / Exercise Science) Kelli Midden (Fr / 4.00 / Undecided) Katherine Ragia (Jr / 3.32 / Marketing/Advertising) Rebecca Thielemann (Fr / 3.08 / Exercise Science)
Men's Soccer: Juan Carlos Garcia (Jr / 3.53 / Physical Education) Nolan Intermoia (Sr / 3.04 / Criminal Justice) Jay Mainville (Jr / 3.15 / Physical Education) Patrick McLean (Sr / 3.24 / Marketing) Rafael Segal (So / 3.33 / International Relations)
Women's Soccer: Brandi Adams (Sr / 3.13 / Elementary Education) Lauren Byrd (Fr / 3.46 / Athletic Training) Lura Carter (Jr / 3.35 / Physical Education) Sheka Codner (Sr / 3.79 / Hospitality) Linda Ganehed (Fr / 3.23 / Exercise Science) Christine Gerges (Jr / 3.44 / Exercise Science) Jessica Kaiser (Jr / 3.93 / Financial Mathematics) Anna Kaye Logan (So / 3.91 / Exercise Science) Morgan Mazza (Fr / 3.18 / Undecided) Jordan McKenzie (Fr / 3.16 / Nursing) Laurel McKenzie (Fr / 3.23 / Forensic Psychology) Taylor Murphy (Fr / 3.72 / Undecided) Naila Owens (So / 3.06 / Sports Management) Anatasia Prescott (So / 3.30 / Criminal Justice)