CHAPEL HILL—Over 28,000 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 AAA Scholar-Athlete program, which includes recognition of varsity teams which attain certain grades as well as individual athletes.

Individual AAA 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 2012, a total of 13,374 student-athletes were nominated by NCHSAA member schools and qualified for this award.

In the team division, a varsity team earns AAA 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 a whopping 910 varsity teams and 14,901 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.

Edenton Holmes and Valdese Draughn each had two team winners.

The top three teams in every sport will receive a cash award from AAA for their achievement, to be used in their athletic program.

“We are extremely proud of the achievements of the students involved in our AAA Scholar-Athlete program,” said Davis Whitfield, NCHSAA commissioner.  “This demonstrates that we have a large number of athletes that are playing sports and also succeeding in the classroom.”

NCHSAA AAA SCHOLAR-ATHLETE TEAM AWARD WINNERS

Fall and Winter Sports (Fall Semester 2012)

John A. Holmes    Cheerleading   3.780

John A. Holmes    Women’s Tennis      3.940     

Highland Tech      Football                 3.480

West Davidson    Men’s Basketball      3.520

South Point   Men’s Cross Country   3.690

Patton   Men’s Indoor Track & Field   3.710

Crest   Men’s Soccer   3.610

Draughn      Men’s Swimming & Diving   3.725

Draughn      Women’s Golf    3.850

North Henderson   Volleyball      3.849

Tuscola   Women’s Basketball   3.840

East Rowan   Women’s Cross Country   3.840

West Wilkes   Women’s Indoor Track   3.780

Clayton   Women’s Swimming   3.770

North Moore   Wrestling      3.600