CLEVELAND - A trio of unanimous selections headline this year's list of Delta State University student-athletes honored by the Gulf South Conference this week in their annual All-GSC Academic Team awards. Levi Bishop (Baseball), Brittany Eikner (Softball), and Cecile Benzaki (Women's Tennis) were all unanimous choices by a vote of the league's 15 Sports Information Directors and Faculty Athletics Representatives.
Bishop, a 5-foot-9 senior relief pitcher from Saltillo, was one of only two unanimous choices in baseball. The crafty left-hander and two-time All-GSC selection became DSU's all-time saves leader this season with 14, while posting a 3-1 record with five saves and a 2.70 ERA in 2009. Bishop carries an impressive 3.53 GPA in criminal justice.
Eikner, a 2009 All-GSC pick, started and played in all 51 games for the Lady Statesmen this season, batting .280 with a career-high five home runs and 27 RBIs. More impressively, the mathematics major boasts a perfect 4.00 GPA in three years of classroom work.
Benzaki, the 2008 GSC West Division Women's Tennis Player of the Year and a 2009 First Team All-GSC selection, wrapped up another stellar season for the Lady Statesmen going 10-2 overall in No. 1/2 singles action, and 7-5 in No. 1 doubles. The business major posted a 3.50 GPA in business this year.
The Spring All-Academic Team is selected by the Gulf South Conference Sports Information Directors (SIDs) and Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs) in a joint vote. Nominated student-athletes must have an overall grade point average (G.P.A.) of 3.20 or better on a 4.00 scale for their entire academic career and may not be freshmen or first-semester or quarter transfers. The student-athlete must be a significant contributor to the squad. Other factors include leadership, community service and extra-curricular activities. SIDs and FARs are not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes. The number of student-athletes selected in each sport is determined by the number of positions normally involved in the playing of that sport. Ties are not broken.
A total of 35 Delta State University spring sports student-athletes were honored with inclusion in the All-GSC Academic Honor Roll. The names of the recipients are listed below.
BASEBALL
Levi Bishop, Delta State SR Criminal Justice 3.53
Chase Blanchard, Delta State JR Business 3.25
Jason Coats, Delta State JR Biology 3.68
James Denton, Delta State JR Business 3.51
Trey Griffin, Delta State JR Business 3.01
Nathan Hardy, Delta State SO Business 3.00
Cade Hoggard, Delta State JR HPER 3.14
Cody Kelley, Delta State JR Business 3.51
Jake Morgan, Delta State JR Athletic Training 3.70
Sean Nichols, Delta State SO Business 4.00
Steven Oswald, Delta State SR Criminal Justice 3.18
Anthony Palasini, Delta State SR Business 3.58
Patrick Strack, Delta State SO Accounting 3.45
Billy Ray Todd, Delta State JR Business 3.00
Marcus Wilson, Delta State SR Marketing 3.58
MEN'S GOLF
Jordan Breaux, Delta State SO Business 3.12
Austin Smithers, Delta State JR Accounting 3.87
Ben Whelan, Delta State SR Business 3.21
SOFTBALL
Brooke Allgood, Delta State JR Criminal Justice 3.10
Kristi Basso, Delta State SR HPER 3.76
Chelsea Carr, Delta State JR HPER 3.21
Brittany Eikner, Delta State JR Mathematics 4.00
Emily Hearn, Delta State SO Business 3.56
Edie Oliver, Delta State JR Biology 3.24
Paige Silverthorn, Delta State JR HPER 3.09
MEN'S TENNIS
Julien Beckensteiner, Delta State SR Business 3.03
Thiago Marion, Delta State JR Business 3.47
Guilherme Russo, Delta State SO Business 3.25
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Cecile Benzaki, Delta State SR Business 3.50
Tatiana Bouchard, Delta State JR Business 3.04
Amanda Corneilison, Delta State JR Education 3.25
Lisa Jamais, Delta State SO Business 3.68
Katharina Nett, Delta State JR Business 3.46
Krystle Ozols, Delta State SR Business 3.33