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| COURTESY JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS |
JACKSON, Mississippi -- The returning players of the Jackson State women’s soccer team have proved that they are not just athletes but they are student athletes. The entire returning team enters the Fall 2015 semester with GPAs above 3.0.
“It feels amazing.” said head coach Dean Joseph. “Everyone on this team has committed to their academic success.” This is the first time in the head coach’s career that he has returned a 3.0 team.
Coach Joseph says that when he was first hired at JSU, he had three players below a 2.5. “The coaches worked hard at developing a system that was going to make the players successful. The whole team then worked hard at improving their grades and trying to be the best they could be in the classroom.”
After three years under the direction of Coach Joseph, the Lady Tigers all have 3.0s. Two of the original players with GPAs below 2.5 were able to graduate with a GPA above 3.5 and a degree.
When asked what the key to his success is, Coach Joseph stated that the coaching staff is recruiting better people that are driven to be successful. “We are looking at individuals that want to be at Jackson State for the right reasons; soccer and academics. This attitude has made a remarkable difference in the commitment to academics and the program as a whole."
Arriana Rieland, Eroncia Berry, and Courtlyn Williams are leading the charge in the classroom with perfect or near perfect GPAs. Rieland, a junior defender from Elk Grove, Calif., has maintained a 4.0 while she pursues a degree in Biology. Berry, a senior forward from Greensboro, NC, has maintained a 3.971 in Business Management and Williams, a junior defender from Carmel, IN., has maintained a 3.913 in Business Administration.
With 20 soccer players returning, a total of 11 have GPAs above 3.5.
To continue the academic success of the program, new and transfer students will be given 8 hours of study hall and have weekly meetings with the academic success counselor. The coaches will remain in constant communications with the athletes to make sure there are no class issues and if any arise, tutoring will be provided.
Below is the complete list of athletes, their GPAs, and their majors.
| Alyssa- Marie Almogela |
3.111
| Jr. | Biology | Waiphu, Hi | |||||||||||
| Alexandra Astorga |
3.492
| Jr. | Biology | Covina, CA, USA | |||||||||||
| Shatiaunna Banks-Harvey |
3.505
| Sr. | Accounting | Las Vegas, NV,USA | |||||||||||
| Sharidyn Barnes |
3.485
| So. | Business Administration | Mesquite, TX, USA | |||||||||||
| Eronica Berry |
3.971
| Sr. | Business Administration | Greensboro, NC, USA | |||||||||||
| Jessica Blair |
3.333
| So. | Marketing | Port St. Lucie, FL | |||||||||||
| Kamri Brown |
3.788
| So. | Business Administration | Spring, TX, USA | |||||||||||
| Kylie Christian |
3.523
| Jr. | Biology | Torrance, CA, USA | |||||||||||
| Jalana Ellis |
3.667
| Jr. | Accounting | Brampton, Ontario, Canada | |||||||||||
| Rhae'Ven Ellis |
3.750
| So. | Biology | Ridgeland, MS, USA | |||||||||||
| Ariana Gardner |
3.369
| Sr. | Biology | Greenwood, MS, USA | |||||||||||
| Kyleigh Io |
3.079
| Jr. | Elementary Education | Parker, CO, USA | |||||||||||
| Quiona McAdam-Mitchell |
3.531
| Jr. | Biology | St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada | |||||||||||
| Brianna Oswald |
3.091
| So. | Biology | Mary Esther, FL, USA | |||||||||||
| Arriana Rieland |
4.000
| Jr. | Biology | Elk Grove, CA, USA | |||||||||||
| Rayana Speight |
3.593
| Sr. | HPER | Victorville, CA, USA | |||||||||||
| Ariel Vinson |
3.515
| So. | Biology | Highland, CA, USA | |||||||||||
| Sie’Yara Wells |
3.219
| Jr. | Biology | Las Vegas, NV,USA | |||||||||||
| Courtlyn Williams |
3.913
| Jr. | Business Administration | Carmel, IN, USA | |||||||||||
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