May 16, 2005

Hampton, VA - Twenty student-athletes from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association have been named to the eighth annual CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Team on Friday afternoon. Carlos Gutierrez, a junior outfielder on the Viking baseball team was named honorable mention.

"We honor these CIAA student-athletes who excelled in both areas of their collegiate experience; athletics and academics,"said CIAA Commissioner Leon G. Kerry. "Their ability to successfully balance both pursuits will certainly pave the way for excellence in future endeavors. This dedication to distinction will surely prepare them to meet the challenges that await them upon graduation."

The 2005 CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Team recognizes 20 student-athletes, 10 on the First Team and 10 on the Second Team, as voted on by the CIAA-Sports Information Directors' Association. The average grade point average of the First Team is a 3.743, and the average for the Second Team is a 3.733 GPA (on a 4.0 scale).

Gutierrez, the 2005 CIAA Player of the Year, earned an honorable mention for maintaining a 3.480 as a physical education major. In the CIAA, he finished the season tied at first in home runs, was first in total bases, and was fourth in both walks and runs scored. He was named Co-MVP with teammate Victor Branch for leading the Vikings to their first ever CIAA Baseball Championship.

To be eligible, a student-athlete must have completed one full academic year at a CIAA institution, earned a minimum 3.20 overall grade point average, and played as a starter or important reserve in a CIAA sanctioned sport.

FIRST TEAM Name Sport School Year Hometown GPA Major
Andra Colbert Volleyball VSU Senior Capital Heights, MD 3.602 Physics
Melissa Davis @ Bowling FSU Grad. Charleston, WV 3.667 Sociology
Darnell Gregory @ Basketball WSSU Junior Fayetteville, NC 3.618 Molecular Biology
Tanisha Hall Tennis SU Junior Montego Bay, Jam. 4.00 Business Admin.
Luqman Jaaber @# Basketball VUU Senior Richmond, VA 3.35 Computer Science
Kareem Nembhard $% X-Country/Track LC Senior Elizabeth City, NC 3.83 Accounting
Chad Oakley @ Football WSSU Junior Haw River, NC 3.880 Sport Management
Daniel Sabogal Tennis SU Soph. Cali, Columbia 4.00 Business Admin
Clarisse Steans Softball NCCU Soph. Macon, GA 3.679 Physics
Steve Wright @ Golf NCCU Senior Durham, NC 3.800 Elementary Education

SECOND TEAM Ricci Alleyne Track & Field BSU Soph. Mitchellville, MD 3.80 Business Info. Systems
Dana Atkins Volleyball, Basketball, Softball SAC Senior New Orleans, LA 3.51 Human Perf.
Shannon Davis $ Softball/Bowling WSSU Senior Detroit, MI 3.736 Sport Management
Joseph Estevez Cross Country/Track NCCU Soph. Raleigh, NC 3.563 Physics
Jennifer Fisher-Sterling Cross Country/Tennis SAC Senior Bermuda 3.8 Human Performance
Ffion Fletcher Tennis SU Junior Montego Bay, Jam. 4.00 Computer Info. Systems
Monique Lawson Tennis SU Soph. Montego Bay, Jam. 3.90 Computer Info. Systems
Santisha Martin $# Cross Country/Track & Field SAC Senior Nassau, Bahamas 3.8 Accounting
Tiffanni Turrentine Volleyball/Track & Field NCCU Soph. Durham, NC 3.490 Biology
Janet Wheeler Tennis WSSU Senior Winston-Salem, NC 3.727 Sport Management

HONORABLE MENTION Bobby Bienaimee (JCSU), Valicia Brown (SAC), Carlos Gutierrez (ECSU), Jermaine LaFate (VSU), Courtney Walls (BSU).

$ = 2004 First Team
@ = 2004 Second Team
# = 2003 First Team
% = 2003 Second Team