BATON ROUGE — LSU’s track and field athletes are among the University’s most successful in the classroom each season, and the squads were well represented once again at the 2008 TAF Academic Excellence Gala held at the LSU Stadium Club on Sunday evening.
World-renown orthopaedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews was honored as this year’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year for his work in the field of sports medicine.
Andrews, who was an SEC indoor and outdoor pole vault champion and a two-time letterwinner with the Tigers from 1962-63, is a member of the LSU Alumni Hall of Distinction and a founder of both the Alabama Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center and the American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham, Ala.
Andrews has made a name for himself in the sports world as one of the leading surgeons for knee, elbow and shoulder injuries, including his pioneering efforts with Tommy John Surgery.
A native of Homer, La., Andrews received his bachelor’s degree from LSU in 1963 and his medical degree from the LSU School of Medicine in 1967. He is a clinical professor of orthopaedic surgery at four major universities, including the University of Alabama Birmingham, Virginia, Kentucky and South Carolina Medical Schools.
He is the senior orthopaedic consultant for the Washington Redskins, the medical director for the Tampa Bay Rays and the co-medical director of the LPGA, while he has also served as a member of the Sports Medicine Committee of the U.S. Olympic Committee.
In addition, five of LSU’s track and field athletes were recipients of this year’s Wally Pontiff, Jr., Academic Excellence Award, including Kate Accardo (3.9 GPA in kinesiology), Lindsay Day (4.0 GPA in kinesiology), Ryan Fontenot (3.94 GPA in biological engineering), Anna Lyons (4.0 GPA in kinesiology) and James Presley (3.93 GPA in biological engineering).
LSU also recognized a total of 35 track and field athletes as recipients of the LSU Director’s Cup and 34 as members of the SEC Academic Honor Roll as all honors awarded at the gala were based on performance both on the track and in the classroom during the 2006-07 academic year.
LSU Track & Field Academic Award Winners
Distinguished Alumnus of the Year
Dr. James Andrews
Wally Pontiff, Jr. Academic Excellence Award
Kate Accardo
Lindsay Day
Ryan Fontenot
Anna Lyons
James Presley
LSU Scholar Athlete Director’s Cup
Kate Accardo
Kelly Baptiste
Austin Benton
Chris Bless
Harold Boutte
Angel Boyd
Lindsay Day
Mark DeBlanc
Gavin Fleming
Michael Florek
Ryan Fontenot
Rabun Fox
Rachael Graham
Nedra Gross
Matthew Guy
Amanda Harmata
Drew Haro
Brittany Harris
Samantha Henry
Jamaal James
David Kilpatrick
Andrea Linton
Anna Lyons
Christina Porter
Erik Powell
James Presley
Katelyn Rodrigue
Ross Roubion
Alan Sticker
Mallory Thompson
Richard Thompson
Reuben Twijukye
Erin Vandivort
Adam Wilcox
Christy Zirkle
SEC Academic Honor Roll
Kate Accardo
Jeff Adolph
Kelly Baptiste
Austin Benton
Chris Bless
Harold Boutte
Angel Boyd
Katie Dawson
Lindsay Day
Gavin Fleming
Ryan Fontenot
Rabun Fox
Rachael Graham
Nedra Gross
Matthew Guy
Amanda Harmata
Drew Haro
Brittany Harris
Samantha Henry
Jamaal James
Alleyne Lett
Andrea Linton
Anna Lyons
Isa Phillips
Christina Porter
Erik Powell
James Presley
Katelyn Rodrigue
Alan Sticker
Mallory Thompson
Erin Vandivort
Adam Wilcox
Siraj Williams
Christy Zirkle