Lee Places Seven on GSC Winter All-Academic Teams
Image courtesy of Lee Athletic Communications
The Gulf South Conference announced its Winter Sports All-Academic Teams last Wednesday afternoon, and seven Lee athletes earned spots for their combined success in competition and the classroom.
Representing the GSC Regular Season Champion Lady Flames was All-American Abby Bertram. The senior guard from Kingston, Tennessee, complied a 3.52 GPA as a Communications major while leading the Lady Flames to a 22-6 record and the No. 1 seed in the South Region of the NCAA National Championship before play was canceled.
The women’s indoor track and field team had three athletes earn the prestigious honor. Senior Charlee Boxall posted a 3.62 GPA as a Nursing major while also earning All-GSC and All-South Region honors in three events and qualifying for nationals. Senior Kendra Irvine, the all-conference and all-region pole vaulter, kept a 3.75 GPA while studying Elementary Education.
Senior Hannah Buttolph posted a 3.84 GPA while majoring in English Education and was all-conference and all-region in the high jump. All three athletes were instrumental in leading Lee to the inaugural GSC Indoor Track and Field Championship on Feb. 19.
On the men’s side, three more athletes garnered the academic team accolades. Sophomore Casey Guthery put together a 3.43 GPA (Communications) and was all-region and all-conference in the 5000 meters. Senior Gari Garmendia flexed his muscles in the shot put and in the classroom, posting a 3.58 GPA in Exercise Science.
Finally, junior Daniel Surman earned all-region and all-conference accolades in both the Pole Vault and Heptathlon while earning a 3.26 GPA as a Youth Ministry major. The Flames joined the Lady Flames in sweeping the inaugural GSC Indoor Track and Field Championships.
“This is an outstanding accomplishment by our student-athletes. We just completed our most successful winter season since joining D2 and to couple that with their academic success is what every athletic department strives for,” said Lee Athletic Director Larry Carpenter. “We are blessed with a great coaching staff who recruits top quality athletes and then motivates them to excel both in the classroom and in competition. It’s great to see the efforts of these young men and women recognized by the Gulf South Conference.”
In addition to the seven athletes on the all-academic teams, the Flames had 51 winter sport athletes, second-most in the GSC, earn honor roll status. In order to qualify for the GSC Academic Honor Roll, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. All-Academic teams are voted on by the league membership. Athletes must have a 3.25 GPA and be a starter or major contributor for their team in competition.
