Friday, February 04, 2011

MACON, Ga. – Five student-athletes received recognition on the 2010-11 Capital One Academic All-District Basketball Team as Belmont’s Mick Hedgepeth and Scott Saunders represented the men’s side, while Campbell’s Courtney Cannon, FGCU’s Courtney Chihil and Lipscomb’s Jenna Bartsokas appeared on the women’s teams.

Saunders, a Finance major, currently holds a 3.84 GPA and averages 10.5 PPG and 5.8 RPG for the league-leading Bruins. Hedgepeth, a Preseason All-Atlantic Sun selection, sports a 3.71 GPA as an Accounting major, while contributing 14 double-figure scoring games this season for Belmont.

Hedgepeth and Saunders become the 12th and 13th Belmont men's basketball players to earn Capital One Academic All-District honors in the past decade. The Bruins lead the nation in Capital One Academic All-Americans since joining the Atlantic Sun Conference in 2001-02 with eight.

FGCU’s Chihil earned first-team recognition in District III, while Bartsokas picked up District IV first-team honors. With a 3.86 GPA as a Nursing major, Chihil is an all-around player for the conference-leading Eagles averaging 8.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 4.1 APG. Bartsokas, a four-year starter for Lipscomb, carries a 3.95 GPA as an Exercise Science major, while leading the Lady Bisons in scoring, steals and assists. The Franklin, Tenn. native is the first Lady Bisons’ basketball player to earn first team honors on the district level in two seasons.

Cannon earned second-team honors in District III after posting a 3.75 GPA while majoring in accounting. The Starkville, Miss. native is averaging 7.5 points and 2.8 rebounds per game for the Lady Camels, hitting .857 percent from the free throw line, second in the Atlantic Sun. Cannon was also named A-Sun Academic All-Conference as a junior at Campbell after a two-year stop at Itawamba Community College, where the guard earned Academic All-American status.

Cannon becomes the third Lady Camel in history to receive Academic All-District honors. Ashley Moore (1994-98) was the first to earn the honor, earning Academic All-American status in 1997. Ashley Moore was also an All-District performer in 1998. Sara Moore (1997-01) was also a two-time All-District III honoree, taking home awards in both 2000 and 2001.

Last season, two Atlantic Sun Conference student-athletes earned academic all-district honors. First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the national Capital One Academic All-America® Team ballot, where First, Second and Third Team All-America honorees will be selected later this month.

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The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.