Posted: Jul 08, 2016
BOAZ – Snead State Community College student-athletes are continuing to raise the bar in the classroom.
For the first time ever, the Snead State tennis team earned the top academic spot in women's tennis in the nation and finished second in the nation among the National Junior College Athletic Association's 3,400 teams, which spans multiple sports. The team finished the year with a 3.84 grade point average and for the ninth year in a row claimed the Alabama Community College Conference title.
In a record year, 35 Snead State student-athletes were named Academic All-Americans by the NJCAA. Five of six Snead State teams were named Academic All-American teams. Snead State tied Wallace State Community College for the most Academic All-Americans in the ACCC.
"This is an outstanding victory for our College," said Snead State President Dr. Robert Exley. "It's a tremendous testament to the fact our coaches and student-athletes place a high priority on academics. I want to personally thank them and our faculty and staff who have helped our student-athletes achieve this accomplishment."
Snead State has had 81 student-athletes earn NJCAA academic honors since the 2011-2012 season.
In addition to the tennis team, four other Snead State teams earned spots amongst the NJCAA's top academic squads in their respective sports.
The volleyball team finished first in the ACCC and tied for seventh in the nation. The Lady Parsons finished with a GPA of 3.61. Softball finished with a 3.19 GPA. The women's basketball team had a 3.16 GPA. The baseball team completed the year with a 3.02 GPA.
Additionally, the Snead State cheerleaders finished with a 3.42 GPA. The dance team had a 3.19 GPA.
The Pinnacle Award was given to nine Snead State student-athletes who achieved a 4.0 GPA. The Award for Superior Academic Achievement is awarded to student-athletes with a GPA ranging from 3.80-3.99. The Award for Exemplary Academic Achievement is given to student-athletes in the 3.60-3.79 GPA range.
Earning the Pinnacle Award were volleyball players Brittany Bishop (Tuscumbia) and Catherine Jett (Powder Springs, GA), baseball players Wesley Burns (Boaz), Brock Colvin (Albertville), and Brandon Matthews (Gadsden), tennis players Alexis Daniels (Arab), Brandi Daniels (Arab), and Alesha Triplett (Oneonta), and softball player Macy West (Haleyville). The Pinnacle Award is the NJCAA's highest academic honor.
Earning the Superior Academic Achievement Award honors were softball players Emily Duncan (Bob Jones), Audrey Glitzer (Douglas), Payton Golden (Sardis City), Abbey Payne (James Clements), and Baylee Rogers (Pisgah), baseball players Josiah Buell (Greensburg, IN) and Brian Dansereau (Douglasville, GA), volleyball players Tori Pendley (Haleyville) and Ashley Norris (Fort Payne), tennis players Katy Bole (Oneonta) and Hannah Mathis (Rome, GA), and basketball player Jordan McCarver (Scottsboro).
Exemplary Academic Achievement Award honors were given to basketball players Nicholas Walsh (Athens), Casey Brooks (Fyffe), Ryan Dupree (Madison), and Diamones Spraggins (Decatur), volleyball players Caitlyn Baker (Killen), Macy Bridges (Boaz), Kirsten Inman (Murfreesboro, TN), Ellisia Kimble (Madison), and Mattie Lacey (Boaz), baseball players Christian Leonard (Boaz) and Ridge Watson (Arab), tennis players Morgan Thompson (Rockmart) and Brooklyn Brothers (Douglas), and softball player Courtney Blevins (Ider).