BATON ROUGE — The Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes honored six LSU student-athletes for their academic achievements and community service for the month of May.
Each month, five student-athletes are recognized for their academic improvement, dedication and proven ability. In addition, one student-athlete will be chosen through the CHAMPS (Challenging Athletes Minds for Personal Success) program for their volunteerism and commitment to the community.
May’s Student-Athletes of the Month are Taryne Boudreau (Soccer), Rockey Duplessis (Football), Brian Gemberling (Men’s Diving), Tenaya Jones (Women’s Track & Field) and Bareet Nugent (Men’s Track & Field). Courtney Alexander (Soccer) was chosen as the Shaquille O’Neal CHAMPS/Life Skills Student-Athlete of the Month.
Boudreau is a general studies major, while Duplessis is majoring in forestry. Gemberling and Nugent are members of the University College Center for Freshman Year (UCFY). The UCFY is an academic unit to help freshmen define their academic and career goals. Jones is a sports administration major, while Alexander is majoring in kinesiology.
A junior midfielder from Liberty, Missouri; Alexander received a redshirt last season after transferring from Southeast Missouri State. She won Female Volunteer of the Year earlier this week in community service efforts such as tutoring elementary school children, going room-to-room to visit patients at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital and served food to the homeless at St. Vincent de Paul shelter.
Boudreau, a sophomore midfielder from Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada also received a redshirt last season while representing her nation at the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup is Chile. Along with Alexander, the Tiger soccer team won the traveling team cup trophy for the most involved team in the community.
A freshman defensive back from Belle Chasse, Duplessis was named an ESPN.com Top 25 safety in 2008 coming out of high school. He also earned Class 4-A All-State Team after tallying 113 tackles, two fumble recoveries and three interceptions as a senior.
Gemberling, a freshman diver from Langhorne, Pennsylvania, qualified for the NCAA Regionals participating in the preliminary round. He continued to improve throughout his first collegiate season and ranks seventh in school history in the three-meter with his mark of 35.175, which he recorded against Delta State.
A sophomore hurdler from Dallas, Texas, Jones earned All-SEC honors during the 2009 indoor season. She finished second and set a personal best of 8.20 seconds in the SEC final to rank No. 13 in the NCAA. Jones has already qualified for the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships in the 100-meter hurdles with a personal best of 13.28.
Nugent, a freshman hurdler from Maurice, has qualified to run the 110-meter hurdles at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships. His season-best wind-aided time of 13.84 in the event ranked No. 16 in the NCAA headlining into the postseason.
For putting forth extra effort in the classroom and community in addition to their rigorous academic and competition schedules, these six student-athletes will have their pictures displayed on the wall in the CCACSA.