BATON ROUGE, La. – The Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes honored six student-athletes for their academic achievements and community service for the month of March.
Each month, five student-athletes are recognized for their academic improvement, dedication and proven ability. In addition, one student-athlete is chosen through LSU’s Student-Athlete Affairs program for their volunteerism and commitment to the community.
March’s student-athletes of the month are Julianna Cannamela [Gymnastics], Aaron Epps [Men’s Basketball], Tiara Gibson [Volleyball], Damen Pheiffer [Swimming and Diving] and Jared Poche’ [Baseball]. Sydney Cavin [Women’s Golf] was selected as the Shaquille O’Neal Life Skills Program Student-Athlete of the Month.
Cannamela, Epps and Gibson are interdisciplinary studies majors, Cavin is a sport administration major, Pheiffer is a coastal environmental science major and Poche’ is a kinesiology major.
A native of Waxhaw, North Carolina, Cannamela has worked her way into vault, bars and beam lineups this season. The freshman tallied a career-best 9.85 on bars during the team’s 197.900 victory over Florida and has recorded a 9.85 on vault this season.
Epps is a sophomore forward from Ball, Louisiana who has started two games for the Tigers this season. He is averaging 4.0 points in his 9.5 minutes per game. He had a career-high 14 points versus North Florida and 11 rebounds against Gardner-Webb earlier this season.
Junior middle blocker Gibson played in 24 matches during her first season at LSU. She hit .253 on the season and finished third on the team in blocks with 45, combining for six solo blocks and 39 assisted for a 0.68 blocks per set average.
Pheiffer, a junior freestyler from Johannesburg, South Africa, transferred to LSU from the University of Tampa before his sophomore season. During his sophomore campaign, he provided the third-fastest 100 free and fourth-fastest 200 free times on the team.
Junior left-hander Poche’ earned his first win on the season and had his 19th career victory after firing six shutout innings against Sacramento State. The Lutcher, Louisiana, native has struck out 13 in his 12.2 innings pitched and has a 1.42 earned run average.
Cavin was selected as the Shaquille O’Neal Life Skills Program Student-Athlete of the Month for her dedication to the community, participating in numerous service events throughout his senior year. The sophomore from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was recently named the SEC Women’s Golfer of the Week after she earned her first collegiate golf victory, rallying from a tie for seventh after 26 holes to move to the lead in the final round of the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate at English Turn.
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 Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes.
The Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes is a 54,000 square foot facility comprised of an academic affairs, student affairs and an information technology team, serving more than 530 student-athletes. The purpose is to provide an all-inclusive, student-centered support structure for all student-athletes from matriculation, through graduation and life beyond.