Some Auburn athletes have not only proven their athletic ability on the field, but their academic excellence in the classroom as well. Sixty-three athletes were recognized for their academic efforts when the 2009 SEC Academic Spring Honor Roll was announced last Wednesday by Southeastern Conference Commissioner Mike Slive.
The SEC academic honor roll is based on the 2008 Summer, 2008 Fall and 2009 Spring grades.
Out of the 12 SEC schools, Auburn tied with LSU at number eight, according to Marianne Clancy, compliance assistant for the SEC. The University of South Carolina topped the list with 114 athletes and the University of Georgia followed with 99.
Clancy said athletes must meet certain academic requirements such as a grade point average of 3.00 for the preceding academic year and must have successfully completed 24 semester or 36 quarter hours of credit to make the honor roll.
Jay Jacobs, director of Auburn athletics, commended the athletes for their hard work in a statement he issued.
"We are extremely proud of the accomplishments of our student-athletes who excel academically and athletically," Jacobs said. "They work incredibly hard to balance a heavy workload in the classroom, in their respective sports and through their community service efforts. They are true ambassadors for Auburn University."
Auburn's equestrian team contributed the most student athletes with 14.
Jessica Braswell, an Auburn graduate and past member of the equestrian team, said the team tried hard this past season to encourage good grades.
"I think as a team we did a good job this past semester trying to get girls motivated to make the honor roll," Braswell said. "It's a good thing to strive for."
Braswell said the team also participated in community service. The team as a whole did about 450 hours of service by reading to children at elementary schools.
Double majoring in agricultural business and economics and Spanish international trade, Braswell said she learned to balance school and athletic duties.
"I always went to class and found a balance between how much I had to study and the time it took for me to be successful in the classroom," Braswell said. "I learned early how much time it took for me personally to get good grades."
The women's track team was second with 11 athletes, followed by men's track with 10. Women's golf and tennis teams contributed four student athletes each while men's tennis added three and men's golf two.
The baseball team had nine including Cory Luckie, a junior in chemical engineering and Jon Luke Jacobs, a junior in finance.
Both Luckie and Jacobs, pitchers for the team, agreed with Braswell and said time management played a big role in their academic success.
"A college sport is really tough to fit in with our schedule, like study time and being in the college life," Luckie said. "You have to be really disciplined and know your limits. I try to sit down and study a little every day."
Jacobs said it takes using every available minute to get things done and stay ahead.
"It's hard for me to study while the team travels, so for me, it's more whenever you have a chance to study, study," Jacobs said. "There are times when you can't study so whenever you have an opportunity, go ahead and get it done, because it will pile up on you quick."
Although playing a collegiate sport is hard work, Jacobs said it is definitely worth it.
"If you can play a collegiate sport and turn around and make good grades, I feel like when you come into a job opportunity it looks a lot better," Jacobs said.
Jacobs said it is rewarding to have one of the top grade point averages in the conference.
"It's definitely an honor and one of those things you shoot for every year," Jacobs said.
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