LSUS Athletics pays tribute to student-athletes on National Student-Athlete Day
April 06, 2006
Shreveport, LA---Thursday April 6th was marked as the National-Student Athlete Day throughout the country, and the LSUS Athletics program paid tribute to their student-athletes who have excelled both in the class room and in their respective sport.
“There is a reason that student comes before athlete,” commented LSUS Head Men’s Basketball Coach Chad McDowell in front of a crowd of LSUS athletes.
“You have four years to participate and enjoy your chosen sport. For a small percentage of you, there may be professional sports in your future. But for most of us, once our eligibility is complete, so are our playing careers. Your hard work and dedication in the classroom is what will determine your success well beyond your playing careers.”
This was the message that was presented to the LSUS athletes on the 1st Annual National Student Athlete Day ceremony at LSUS.
28 student-athletes from the four respective LSUS athletics teams were recognized for accumulating a 3.0 GPA throughout their academic careers at LSUS; Lacy Biggs, Tamara Ezernack, Hannah Jennings, Kristen Shaefer, Calandre Singh, Blake Pinkston, Riley Cook, Kevin Jewell, Tyler Lewis, Kyle McGuire, Luis Roberts, Quenton Shamsabody, Chris Steadman, Jacob Watkins, Josh Wheat, Dustin Bissonnette, Chris Frye, Kyle Blankenship, Jariel Norton, Greg Tyer, Janai Sells, Moche Roque, Ashlee Johnson, Jessica Kelly, and Chrissy Chiri have all accumulated a 3.0 GPA or higher.
Of those 28 student-athletes, three of them earned a 4.0 GPA in the 2005 fall semester; Brenna Bussart, Julia Vaughn, and Dustin Bissonnette.
In recognition of his academic success and his success on the baseball field where he was named the 2005 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Bissonnette was selected as the 2006 LSUS National Student-Athlete Day Award winner.
“I think it is great that the athletes are recognized for their success in the classroom. For those people who do not play college sports, I am sure it is hard to understand how much time and discipline it takes to be successful in both the classroom and on the field,” commented Bissonnette.
“I want to thank all of our coaches, our athletic director Doug Robinson, and especially our professors who continually help us reach our potential in the classroom, while cheering us on at our games. It is really neat to see when your professor makes a road game or you hear them in the stands cheering your name. It makes you realize how many people are trying to help you succeed in all aspects of your life,” concluded Bissonnette.
