CHAPEL HILL—Over 12,000 individual awards have been given by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association to student-athletes for their achievements in the classroom as well as on the playing court or athletic field.

The NCHSAA made the awards in its Scholar-Athlete program, which includes recognition of varsity teams which attain certain grades as well as individual athletes.

Individual Scholar-Athletes attained at least a 3.5 grade point average for the semester in which he or she competed.  The award is based on first semester grades for fall and winter sports and second semester grades for spring sports, and the school submits the nomination form verifying the grade point average on behalf of the athlete or team.  

For the fall semester of 2007, a total of 6,616 student-athletes were nominated by NCHSAA member schools and qualified for this award.

In the team division, a varsity team earns Scholar-Athlete recognition by attaining a 3.1 aggregate GPA on a straight 4.0 scale for that designated semester.  The school receives a certificate from the NCHSAA honoring the accomplishment and each member of the squad receives a certificate. A total of 412 varsity teams and 5,750 individual athletes from across the state achieved this distinction.

A minimum of five individuals is necessary to constitute a team, and all team members must be included in figuring the team GPA.  The team achieving the highest grade point average in the state in its particular sport and submitting its application by the appropriate deadline receives a plaque commemorating that achievement.

Southern Guilford grabbed three team awards and Rocky Mount earned two, both in cross-country.

"We are very proud of the achievements of the students involved in our Scholar-Athlete program," said Charlie Adams, executive director of the NCHSAA.  "We think this is definite proof that we have a tremendous number of athletes that are playing sports and also succeeding in the classroom."

NCHSAA SCHOLAR-ATHLETE TEAM AWARD WINNERS

Fall and Winter Sports (Fall Semester 2007)

West Wilkes Football         3.210      

Southern Guilford Volleyball         3.784

Southern Guilford Men's Soccer 3.544

Lumberton Men's Swimming 3.621

Rocky Mount Women's Cross Country 3.984

Rocky Mount Men's Cross Country 3.946

Terry Sanford Women's Golf 3.690

Clinton Women's Tennis 3.837

Kings Mountain Women's Swimming 3.770

South Rowan Wrestling         3.536

Central Davidson Women's Basketball 3.750

West Stanly Men's Basketball 3.520       

Surry Central Women's Indoor Track 3.700 

Walter Williams Men's Indoor Track 3.725