Dec. 18, 2012

OXFORD, Miss. - While excelling on the field of competition, Ole Miss enjoyed a successful fall in the classroom with 170 Rebel student-athletes making one of three honor rolls and many teams achieving milestones.   In addition to these achievements, 16 Rebel student-athletes (11 from football) earned their degrees this month.

Among the December graduates from the bowl-bound Rebels are E.J. Epperson, HR Greer, Uriah Grant, Joel Kight, Randall Mackey, Andrew Ritter and Devin Thomas.  

Forty-five percent of the student-athlete population made a 3.0 or higher grade point average,  while 26 recorded a perfect 4.0, including five from football, three from women's golf, soccer and women's track and field, and two from men's tennis, women's tennis and men's track and field.  

"As a staff this summer, we set out to accomplish several goals and put initiatives in place to achieve success," said senior associate athletics director Derek Cowherd.  "I can comfortably say that we were pleasantly surprised that so many student-athletes bought in.  I credit the coaches, the re-energized FedEx staff and also the amazing support from the Chancellor, Provost, faculty, staff, athletics department and the student-athletes.  I look forward to even greater success in the future."

Rifle led all teams with a 3.42 grade point average, while men's golf recorded their highest semester team GPA (3.38) in 10 years to lead all men's teams.    Twelve of 14 teams had higher GPAs than last fall.    

While the football team achieved success on the field improving by four victories, winning the Egg Bowl and earning a trip to the BBVA Compass Bowl, they also had their share of accomplishments in the classroom.  Thirty players made the honor roll, highlighted by 4.0s from graduates Kight and Ritter.  

Baseball posted a 3.19 team GPA and placed 24 on the honor roll, including 4.0s by freshman Cameron Dishon and junior college transfer Stuart Turner.

Men's golf boasted nine of 10 members on the honor roll, including freshman Forrest Gamble's 4.0 and a 3.94 from junior Tom Brown.   Seven members of the women's golf team made the honor roll including 4.0s from senior Haley Sanders and freshmen Abby Newton and Stani Schiavone.

Women's tennis placed eight of nine on the honor roll for a 3.41 GPA, including 4.0s from All-SEC honorees Caroline Rohde-Moe and Julia Jones and a 3.94 from freshman Marija Milutinovic.   Men's tennis had seven of 10 make the honor roll with Johan Backstrom and Adrian Forberg Skogeng posting 4.0s and William Kallberg recording a 3.92.

Men's and women's track and field combined for 29 student-athletes on the honor roll, including Sofia Hellberg Jonsen, Neal Tisher, Amy McCrory, Onyi Afoaku and Jonathan Redding with 4.0s.  

Eighteen of the 25 members of the women's soccer team made the honor roll, with Madeline Friedmann, Jessica Hiskey and Jennifer Miller posting a 4.0.  Southeastern Conference Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year Rafaelle Souza was one of seven soccer players on the Chancellor's Honor Roll.

Brittany Broome's 4.0 paced 13 softball players on the honor roll.   Volleyball, led by Rachel McLamore's 4.00, had eight members on the honor roll.   Rifle had four current team members on the honor roll, including All-American Melissa Quartarone, who posted a 4.0.  

Women's basketball garnered five players on the honor roll, including starters Courtney Marbra and Valencia McFarland and senior Maggie McFerrin.  Men's basketball placed three on the honor roll with Terry Brutus, Will Norman and Cade Peeper.