CHAPEL HILL—Over 21,000 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 presented by the North Carolina National Guard, 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 2014, a total of 10,036 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 681 varsity teams and 10,790 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.
North Davidson led the way with five teams earning top honors in their respective sports.
"We are extremely proud of the achievements of the students involved in our Scholar-Athlete program and are grateful to the North Carolina National Guard for its involvement," 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 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE TEAM AWARD WINNERS
Fall and Winter Sports (Fall Semester 2014)
Cheerleading Northwest Cabarrus 3.960
Cross Country, Men Jay Robinson 3.910
Cross Country Women North Davidson 3.880
Football North Davidson 3.440
Basketball, Men North Davidson 3.850
Basketball, Women Northwest Cabarrus 3.960
Soccer, Men Chatham Charter 3.760
Golf, Women Hendersonville 3.904
Indoor Track, Men North Davidson 3.750
Tennis, Women Asheboro 3.791
Indoor Track, Women Northern Nash 3.887
Swimming and Diving, Men Wilkes Central 3.800
Swimming and Diving, Women North Davidson 3.920
Volleyball Blue Ridge 3.900
Wrestling NC School of Science & Math 3.630