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Athletes light up scoreboards, chalkboards |
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Thursday, 08 February 2007 |
by Ed Rabin
Intern Sports Reporter
One hundred forty.
That is the number of Appalachian State University athletes to be honored for their academic achievement during halftime of the men’s basketball game against the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Feb. 15.
The student-athletes receiving the award all achieved a 3.25 grade point average or better last fall.
Among these recipients is freshman quarterback Armanti Edwards, who led the football team to its second national championship.
Posting a 3.25 GPA as a first- semester freshman, Edwards had to
balance academics and the responsibility of quarterbacking a
championship football team.
“It’s kind of hard, but during the season, after every class before I
had to go to practice, I’d just come in, take a nap and catch up on
some rest. I just try to listen in class and get everything done,”
Edwards said.
Including Edwards, the football program had 17 players on the honor roll, leading all varsity sports.
The field hockey and women’s cross country/track and field teams were next on the list, chiming in with 13 players each.
Out of the 140 athletes, 16 Mountaineers put up a perfect 4.0 GPA for the semester.
Among the 16, David Towarnicky, a sophomore first baseman, said he remembers to keep things in perspective.
“Grades have always been the most important thing in school, ahead of
sports,” Towarnicky said. “Sports were always just kind of an extra
thing. I like to go to the library, up on the third floor. I take my
laptop with me and plunk down for about two or three hours a night and
just go through what I learned that day. I’ll review it and then read
ahead so I’ll know what to expect for the next class.”
Though Towarnicky has a busy schedule with practice, games and classes, he manages to remain focused and determined.
“I’ve kind of found out that there’s time for work and time for play,” Towarnicky said.
One thing all student-athletes try to do is leave time to relax.
Freshman defender for the women’s soccer team Maggie McLaughlin, who
attained a 4.0 GPA last semester, has grown comfortable in her
successful routine.
“Normally, I go to the library because I just can’t study in my room,”
she said, “I study during the week, but not on the weekends. I need to
make sure I have time for myself.”
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