[June 7, 2006]

Magnolia, Ark. - Southern Arkansas University and the University of Alabama-Huntsville led the 17-team Gulf South Conference 2006 Spring All-Academic Teams with nine selections each.

The conference All-Academic Team is selected by GSC sports information directors and faculty athletic representatives in a joint vote. Candidates must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.20 on a 4.00 scale for their academic career, and may not be a freshman, or first-year transfer or participant.

Southern Arkansas’ Skyler Stromsmoe, Brian “Scooter” Hendrickson, and Robert “Duke” Williams were all named to the baseball All-Academic Team, and Stromsmoe and Hendrickson were the only GSC baseball players to achieve a perfect 4.00 GPA. Stromsmoe also leads the list of honorees as a First Team All-GSC choice with Hendrickson claiming Second Team All-GSC laurels. Both Stromsmoe and Hendrickson were members of the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Third Team Academic All-America Team, and the ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District VI Team. Both are four-time members of the SAU President’s List and were GSC Academic Honor Roll selections last year. Stromsmoe was named as this year’s SAU male Outstanding Scholar-Athlete. Williams was on the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI Second Team, and was also a 2005 GSC Academic Honor Roll pick.

Stromsmoe is a junior outfielder with a major in health, kinesiology, and
recreation, Hendrickson is a sophomore catcher/designated hitter with a major in biological science, and Williams is a sophomore pitcher with a 3.25 GPA in HKR.

SAU of the GSC West Division and the University of North Alabama of the East Division led the conference with three selections each in baseball.
In softball, the Lady Muleriders placed four on the 13-member West Division All-Academic Team. Kayla King, Whitney Brannon, Tisha Thompson, and Kayla Sharp represented SAU. King, the GSC West Division Pitcher of the Year, and Brannon were both First Team All-GSC choices, while Thompson was a Second Team All-Conference selection.
King is a senior pitcher with a 3.26 GPA in social studies education, Brannon a
junior outfielder with a 3.49 GPA in early childhood education, Thompson a junior third baseman with a 3.57 in HKR, and Sharp a sophomore outfielder with a 3.75 in HKR.

King was twice selected as the GSC West Division Pitcher of the Week this
season, is a member of the SAU Dean’s List, and was a 2005 conference Academic Honor Roll honoree.

Brannon is a two-time member of the SAU President’s List, and was a 2004 and 2005 pick on the GSC Academic Honor Roll.

Thompson is a three-time member of the SAU Dean’s List, and was also a 2004 and 2005 GSC Academic Honor Roll member.

Sharp is a member of the SAU President’s List, a two-time member of the SAU Dean’s List, and was on last year’s GSC Academic Honor Roll.

SAU placed Rachel Vinsant and Leonelle “Nelly” Tualla on the women’s tennis All-Academic Team. Vinsant, a sophomore, was a Second Team All-GSC pick who posted a 3.94 GPA in biological science, and Tualla, a junior, had a 3.94 GPA in accounting. Both Vinsant and Tualla were 2005 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athletes, and both were on the 2005 GSC Academic Honor Roll.

Vinsant is a three-time member of the SAU President’s List, and a member of the SAU Dean’s List, and Tualla is a four-time SAU President’s List member and has twice been named to the SAU Dean’s List.

Southern Arkansas tied for third with 33 placed on the GSC Spring Academic
Honor Roll. A minimum grade point average of 3.00 is required. Selections are
automatic with no vote required.

The Muleriders are represented by 18 baseball players on the GSC Honor Roll. They are Daniel Bird, Todd Branscum, Lance Colvin, Tyler Glover, Cole Grandfield, Jeremy Hambrice, Zak Kinnison, Justin Moore, Matt Oliver, Seth Pinner, Kyle Ritter, Jeremy Triche, Kolby Tucker, Derek Weldon, Chad Whitman, Hendrickson, Stromsmoe, and Williams.

Two SAU golfers made the Honor Roll, William “Zac” Hoglund and Josh Smith.

The softball Lady Muleriders placed nine on the Honor Roll. They are Stephanie Beason, Kristen Hall, Lauren Leonard, Elcia Olivo, Kirstie Reed, King, Brannon, Thompson, and Sharp.

The SAU women’s tennis team placed four, Sarah Awe, Aneeka Bhalla, Vinsant, and Tualla.