July 18, 2006

Columbia, S.C. – For the second consecutive year, the University of South Carolina women’s golf program has been recognized as the National Golf Coaches Association’s All-Scholar Team GPA Award winner. The award recognizes the women’s collegiate golf program with the highest combined team grade point average among all of the team’s student-athletes for the 2005-06 season. The Gamecocks posted a 3.677 team GPA to claim the award.

“I am very proud of what this group of young ladies has accomplished,” Head Coach Kristi Coggins said. “To win an award as prestigious as this one in back-to-back years really says something about the quality and the consistency of their work in the classroom. With all of the success that these young ladies have enjoyed in the class in addition to making it to the postseason every year they have been here, this is a group that the University of South Carolina can be proud of.”

In addition, South Carolina once again led the nation with six different individuals named to the NGCA All-America Scholar team, as Erica Battle, Laura McCaslin, Jenna Pearson, Laura Raffo, Whitney Simons and Blythe Worley all secured the recognition. This marks the third consecutive year that South Carolina has led the nation in All-America Scholars.

“This is another example of the academic excellence our student athletes and teams have achieved at USC,” Athletics Director Eric Hyman said. “We are successfully competing on the highest level in the classroom and on the field of competition.”

Awards have come in bunches for the South Carolina women’s golf program this year, as Battle was honored with the prestigious Dinah Shore Trophy, which is presented to the top women’s golfer in the nation who combines success on the golf course with success in the classroom and extraordinary leadership in the community. Battle was the second Gamecock in the last three years to earn the award, as Adrienne Gautreaux was the 2004 recipient. Battle was also named to the 2006 CoSIDA Academic All-District Team and was a member of the 2006 SEC Women’s Golf Good Works Team. In addition to Battle’s honors, Simons was recognized as the 2006 SEC Women’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

The Southeastern Conference’s Spring Sports Academic Honor Roll has not yet been released, but South Carolina will likely have several representatives on that squad as well, as Battle, Simons, McCaslin, Pearson, Meredith Taylor, Raffo and Worley all posted grade point averages above 3.0.

Battle, Simons and Raffo all earned spots on the University of South Carolina President’s List during the fall, 2005 semester. The list recognizes students who post perfect 4.0 GPAs during a semester. McCaslin, Pearson and Worley were all Dean’s List honorees in the fall, with Battle, Pearson, Raffo, Simons and Worley each securing a spot on the Dean’s List in the spring, 2006 semester.

Women’s Golf Top 25 Team GPAs
1. University of South Carolina 3.677
2. Bradley University 3.658
3. St. Olaf College 3.650
T3. University of South Alabama 3.650
5. Western Carolina University 3.643
6. Illinois Wesleyan University 3.622
7. Wartburg College 3.602
8. Nova Southeastern University 3.600
9. University of Tennessee 3.592
10. University of Indianapolis 3.591
11. Mississippi State University 3.581
12. Xavier University 3.580
13. Southwest Minnesota State University 3.572
14. Barry University 3.571
15. High Point University 3.568
16. University of Montana 3.567
17. South Dakota State University 3.564
18. Texas Christian University 3.561
19. Longwood University 3.559
T19. Winona State University 3.559
21. Carleton College 3.554
22. Ball State University 3.549
23. East Tennessee State University 3.543
24. Stanford University 3.541
T24. University of Texas – Pan American 3.541