BATON ROUGE – The Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes honored six LSU student-athletes as part of their academic achievements and community service for November.
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.
November’s student-athletes of the month are Tayler Debusk [Football], David Detz [Football], Curtis Thompson [Men’s Golf], Trevor Sansone [Track & Field] and Alex Arlitt [Soccer]. Brandon Gordon [Track & Field] was selected as the Shaquille O’Neal CHAMPS/Student-Athlete Affairs Athlete of the Month.
Debusk and Detz are pre-med majors, while Thompson is majoring in business, and Sansone is majoring in biology. Arlitt is an accounting major whereas Gordon is a finance major.
A senior jumper from Plaquemine, La., Gordon is not only a star on his team, but a star in the community. He recently spearheaded the Halloween BOOzar, an event that allows children to treat-or-treat with student-athletes. He also served as a mentor at the Big Buddy Program’s Day of the Mentor, where an elementary student shadowed him for a day on campus. His extensive service to the Baton Rouge community earned him the 2011 LSU Male Volunteer of the Year award.
Arlitt, a freshman midfielder from Houston, Texas, wasted no time in driving her team to victory. Her outstanding young career earned her a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team as LSU soccer claimed the SEC Western Division championship and second-place overall SEC finish. This comes as no surprise, as she was named MVP of her high school team in both 2009 and 2010, as well as being a premier center midfielder in the country for the Class of 2011.
A senior defensive back from Tupelo, Miss., Debusk received SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2010. He also picked up the Alvin Roy Fourth Quarter Award for the 2011 L Club Spring Football game. This award is given for players with an outstanding performance in the LSU off-season program.
Detz, a senior linebacker from Leesville, La., earned SEC Academic Honor Roll in both 2009 and 2010, commending his hard work to maintain a high grade point average throughout both seasons.
A freshman sprinter from Baton Rouge, La., Sansone is expected to have an impressive breakout performance as a collegiate athlete, as he was one of the top sprinters in Louisiana during his high school career. His achievements include a record-setting 55-meter dash at the 2011 LHSAA Class 5A Division I Indoor State Championship and earning the 2010 LHSAA Class 5A state title in the 100-meter dash.
Thompson, a freshman golfer from Coral Springs, Fla., has already earned numerous honors prior to his career at LSU. This includes earning the No. 24 spot on Golfweek’s Top 100 of 2011. He recently posted a score of 2-over par 74 in the Isleworth Collegiate Invitational, assisting in the team’s overall second-place finish.
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.