Cullowhee, N.C. – A combined 186 Western Carolina student-athletes were honored Wednesday as the Southern Conference released its academic honor roll for the 2022-23 academic year. All told, 2,471 student-athletes from the SoCon's 10 member institutions and nine associate members earned the distinction.
Western Carolina football led all Catamount teams on the honor roll list with 31 student-athletes while women's soccer was close behind with 27 and baseball with 26.
"Institutions in the Southern Conference emphasize education," said freshly minted SoCon Commissioner Michael Cross. "As a league, we're proud to honor and recognize the academic performance of each of the college athletes named to the Academic Honor Roll. The dedication and diligence necessary to balance classroom performance and athletic commitments represent uncommon excellence. It's also important to acknowledge the personal investment the academic advisors and counselors on each campus make in the athletes' lives. Their mentorship and guidance are truly appreciated."
The academic honor roll originated in 1988-89 when SoCon athletic directors established the award as a way to recognize the league's outstanding student-athletes. The academic honor roll consists of student-athletes who participated in varsity sports and
posted a 3.0-grade point average or higher for the academic year, were eligible the entire academic year, and were members of the final squad lists. The award is different from both the Fall and Spring Academic All-Conference awards
which are determined by cumulative GPA and involves a participation requirement.
Among the 186, Western Carolina had 66 student-athletes earn the Commissioner's Medal, awarded to student-athletes who attain a GPA of 3.8 or higher throughout the year, while 19 Catamounts closed out the 2022-23 academic year with a perfect 4.0-grade point average.
Western Carolina student-athletes with a 4.0 GPA in 2022-23:
Savannah Baldwin (softball),
Taja Booker (women's track & field),
AJ Colombo (football),
John Davis (cross country/track & field),
Peyton Davis (football),
Sarah Engen (women's soccer),
Julia Gardon (volleyball),
Bailey Hartsough (volleyball),
Endia Holliday (women's basketball),
Sara Klemm (women's track & field),
Maggie Lloyd (women's soccer),
Brie Mapanao (women's golf),
Kate Mattison (women's track & field),
Katelin Rucker (women's soccer),
Riley Terry (women's soccer),
Bailey Trumm (women's basketball), Jenny Wagner (women's track & field),
Taylor Waitley (softball), and
Jeralynn Wells (softball).
Additionally in 2022-23, Western Carolina saw 33 student-athletes earn College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors. Four women's tennis players were dubbed Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar Athletes with four women's golfers collecting Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-American Scholar plaudits.
The 2,471 selections league-wide are the third-most in SoCon history. Of this year's qualifiers, 704 earned the Commissioner's Medal and 223 posted perfect 4.0 GPAs.
Mercer paced the league with 329 members on the honor roll, while Wofford was second with 285 and ETSU was third with 266. Each of the SoCon's 10 full members had at least 177 student-athletes on the list and seven of them surpassed 200. ETSU paced the league with 85 student-athletes earning Commissioner's Medals, while Chattanooga had a league-best 34 student-athletes post 4.0 GPAs.
Associate members in wrestling (98) and rifle (20) accounted for 118 selections.
The honor roll includes all 20 sports sponsored by the SoCon in 2022-23 as well as the non-sponsored sports of swimming and diving, water polo, triathlon, men's and women's lacrosse, and beach volleyball.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount Athletics through our social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@wcu_catamounts), and Twitter (@Catamounts).
