SHREVEPORT, La. - Twelve members of the Centenary Ladies Gymnastic team were named Scholastic All-Americans by the National Association of Gymnastics Coaches (NACGC). The 3.636 team GPA also ranked 11th of 82 gymnastic teams in the country, while the 80% of the team who received Scholastic All-American accolades is the eighth best percentage in collegiate gymnastics.
To receive Scholastic All-American honors, a gymnastic student-athlete either had to have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or complete the 2016-17 school year with a GPA of 3.50 - one of the toughest standards for academic awards for student-athletes in the country.
"I am extremely proud of the Ladies for this accomplishment," said head coach Jackie Fain. "To be ranked 11th in the nation for academics in a sport where more than 50% of the student-athletes achieved a 3.5 or higher GPA this year, is proof of how hard this team has worked. They have obviously made academics a priority, and as a team have worked extremely hard to achieve such a high academic ranking. These Ladies are true STUDENT-athletes.
Coach Fain added: "Since my arrival at Centenary one of my main goals was to change the culture of the program to become better students and to make academics their priority. For the last six years, we have seen a steady increase in our GPA, fighting to raise the bar every year. This year, we exceeded our goal - proving that our culture is now an "academic first" mindset. I can't tell you how proud this makes me."
Receiving this accolade were: seniors Taylor Le Moal and Allison Scates, juniors Kaitlyn Mussio and Ashley White, sophomores Navia Jordan, Mackenzie Packer, Elizabeth Sander, Natalie Scates, and Tavia Smith, and freshmen Delia Ardoin, Evelyn Harris, and Olivia Hirsch.
Sander and Smith were one of only 100 gymnastic student-athletes in the country that recorded a 4.0 GPA for the academic year. White was also honored earlier this season when she was named Academic AllDistrict by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
