Summer Sees Aggie Athletes Earn Academic Recognition

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Sept. 18, 2020) – Five athletic programs at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University received recognition this summer for their academic accomplishments.

The Aggie men’s golf team and men’s and women’s cross country programs were named recipients of the NCAA Public Recognition Award. The honor is bestowed on teams with an NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate in the top 10% of all squads in their respective sports based on APR data released in May.

The golf team, led by head coach Richard Watkins, was in its third year at A&T. Although the novel coronavirus cut the season short, the Aggies finished second at the Savannah State Invitational. Sophomore Diego Gonzalez finished second, a stroke behind first place, with a two-round 3-under par 141.

For the cross country programs, this marked their 13^th straight season for receiving the NCAA Public Recognition Award, which they have earned for 15 years. The women’s program has received the award for 16 consecutive years.

The NCAA achievements come on the heels of honors bestowed upon members of A&T’s women’s bowling team and men’s basketball team.

The Aggies were among 57 bowling teams named to the National TenPin Coaches Association (NTCA) All-Academic Team by posting a 3.52 cumulative GPA. A cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher for the academic year is required to receive the honor.

Seniors Tyra Merritt and Mia Pope, juniors Ana Olaya, Chloe Jones and Brionna Thompson and sophomore Ericka Quesada were among 380 bowlers representing 69 schools to earn individual NTCA academic honors. A cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher for the academic year is required to receive the honor.

The Aggie bowlers finished their COVID-19-shortened season with a 73-40 record to rank 10^th in the NTCA poll and a 17-3 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference record to rank second in the conference.

Senior Ronald Jackson and junior Kameron Langley were named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches’ (NABC) 2019-20 Honors Court, which recognizes achievement both on the court and in the classroom. Jackson recently signed a professional basketball contract with BG Gottingen in Germany.

To qualify for NABC Honors Court recognitions, a varsity player must be a junior or senior academically; have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher at the end of the 2018-19 academic year; have matriculated at least one year at their current school; and be a member of an NCAA Division I, II or III or National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Division I or II school with an NABC member coach.

A&T joined Florida A&M as the only MEAC teams with players on the NABC 2019-20 Honors Court.