Aug. 25, 2010

Samford Representatives On SoCon Honor Roll

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Southern Conference released its 2009-10 Honor Roll on Wednesday and 134 Samford student-athletes were named to the list. Overall, over 1,900 student-athletes were honored from the league's 12 member institutions.

Of the 1,921 total student-athletes honored, 44 percent (858) posted at least a 3.5 grade-point average, earning the Commissioner's Medal. From Samford, 60 student-athletes (45 percent) had at least a 3.5 GPA. Seven Samford student-athletes posted a perfect 4.0 GPA for the 2009-10 academic year, while 69 total student-athletes from the 12 SoCon schools had 4.0 GPAs.

Samford's football and women's track and field teams led the way for all of the Bulldogs' squads, each placing 22 members on the list. Women's soccer followed football and women's track with 16 representatives on the Honor Roll, while baseball and men's track and field each placed 13 members on the list.

Davidson landed a league-high 285 student-athletes on the honor roll, the most of any school since the inception of the SoCon Academic Honor Roll. Eight of the 12 schools increased their numbers from the previous year, including all-time highs from Appalachian State, Davidson, Georgia Southern, UNCG, Samford, Chattanooga and Wofford. Appalachian State had the second most honorees with 197, followed by Elon (176), Wofford (175) and Georgia Southern (152).

Football boasted the most student-athletes overall with 313, followed by women's track and field and cross country with 195, women's soccer with 192 and baseball with 160. The list includes all 19 SoCon sponsored sports as well as non-sponsored sports in field hockey, lacrosse, swimming, equestrian, rifle and sailing.

Southern Conference athletic directors established the honor roll prior to the 1988-89 athletic season as a way to recognize the league's outstanding student-athletes. The academic honor roll consists of student-athletes who participated in varsity sports at member institutions and posted a 3.0 grade point average or higher while passing at least 24 hours in two semesters of classes or its equivalent for other academic calendars.