Sports teams hit books in fall semester

                POPLARVILLE – Pearl River Community College athletic teams have not only recorded success in competition but they have also excelled in the classroom.
                In the fall semester of 2013, teams in all seven sports on the campus continue to show marked improvement in grade-point average.
                “Here at Pearl River, our student-athletes are truly students first,” said Jason Francis, PRCC athletic director. “Our coaches dedicate large amounts of time and effort in making sure their student-athletes are succeeding in the classroom.”
                Leading the way was the softball team with a 3.57 grade-point average.  “As coaches we are very proud of our team for earning and accomplishing our team’s success in the classroom,” said softball coach Leigh White.
                She recognized six players for outstanding work in the classroom. They all achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA in what White describes as “challenging courses” for the fall semester.
The list includes: Kelsea Lewis and Heather Boutwell of Oak Grove, Ashton Rogers of Poplarville, Megan Scronce of Petal, Katelyn Lamb of Hancock, and Becky Mitchell of Pearl River Central.
            Some other sports teams had better-than 3.0 GPAs. They were women’s soccer (3.32), men’s soccer (3.14), men’s basketball (3.13) and baseball (3.10). The other sports were women’s basketball (2.82) and football (2.45).
            Girls soccer players who scored 4.0 GPAs were Taylor Scarbrough of Vancleave, Natalie Lechner and Courtney Lechner of Pascagoula and Karly Mitchell of Poplarville.
            “We have a great academic support system in place and our student-athletes utilize it,” said Francis. “This academic excellence is nothing new. The majority of our sports teams maintain GPA’s of 3.0 or higher each and every year.”