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 March.
Each month, five student-athletes are recognized for their academic improvement, dedication and proven ability. In addition, one student-athlete is chosen through the CHAMPS Challenging Athletes Minds for Personal Success program for their volunteerism and commitment to the community.
March’s Student-Athletes of the Month are Michael Ford [Football], Ericka Garcia [Gymnastics], Gabrielle Jackson [Women’s Track & Field], Jaora Johnson [Men’s Track & Field] and Anissa Young [Softball]. Madie Jones [Volleyball] was selected as the Shaquille O’Neal CHAMPS/Life Skills Student-Athlete of the Month.
Ford, Jackson and Young are sports administration majors, while Jones is majoring in engineering. Nutrition and Dietetics is Garcia’s major and Johnson is a kinesiology major.
Jones, a freshman outside hitter from Plano, Texas, saw action in 20 matches for the 2009 SEC volleyball champions. She chipped in six or more kills on five occasions highlighted by an eight-spike performance against No. 6 Nebraska. Jones is a part of LSU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and recently coordinated the team’s hospital visit.
A freshman running back from Leesville, Ford redshirted the 2009 football season. He comes to LSU as one of the nation’s top running back prospects, ranked No. 7 nationally at his position by ESPN and Rivals.com in addition to earning Parade Magazine All-America and All-USA Second-Team accolades from USA Today. Ford racked up 2,953 yards and 29 touchdowns en route to a 4A All-State First-Team selection as a senior. The Tiger football team recently participated in a mock game against Buddy Ball All Stars, a team made up of over 60 special-needs individuals of all ages.
Garcia, a freshman gymnast from Mexico City, made her LSU debut at Arkansas on Feb. 19 where she posted solid scores in the vault, bars and beam as the Tigers earned a tie at No. 6 Arkansas. Before LSU, Garcia spent three years competing on the international stage and captured the vault title along with a third-place beam finish at the 33rd Memorial Joaquim Blume 2008 Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Barcelona, Spain.
A freshman sprinter from Midwest City, Okla., Jackson joined the Lady Tigers as a two-time 6A state champion in the 400 meters sparked by a personal best 54.10 seconds in the event. She also is a state champion hurdler and was a member of a quartet of state champion relay teams running the anchor leg on the 4×400 squad.
Johnson, a freshman from Gray, was a standout pole vaulter and held a school record with a mark of 15 feet, 7 ¼ inches at Vandebilt Catholic High School. He was the indoor and outdoor state runner-up in 2009 en route to being named an All-State First-Team performer.
A sophomore first basemen from Fontana, Calif., Young has started all 70 games of her Tiger softball career. She has followed up her solid freshman campaign and already has belted three homers to go along with 11 RBIs this season to rank second on the team in both categories, respectively. Young’s two homers against Southeastern Louisiana on Feb. 24 marked the 24th time in program history that a LSU player has reached that feat.
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.