ALBANY STATE NOTES: Golden Rams football picked second, athletes rack up academic honors
Jul. 29—Albany State's football team was picked to finish second in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's Eastern Division after voting by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
The Golden Rams finished behind only Savannah State in voting for the eight-team division. They were followed by Fort Valley State in third, Morehouse in fourth and Benedict in fifth. Clark Atlanta was sixth. The final two spots in the division went to Edward Waters and Allen, first-year provisional members of NCAA Division II that are not eligible for SIAC or NCAA postseason competition.
Miles was selected as the winner of the five-team Western Division. Tuskegee was second, followed by Kentucky State, Central State and Lane.
Four Albany State players were voted to the All-SIAC first team — offensive lineman Miquail Harvey, defensive lineman Derik Davis, defensive back Coemba Jones and kicker Gabriel Ballinas. Golden Rams offensive lineman KaTray Pringle made the second team.
Davis, a Leesburg native, played high school football at Deerfield-Windsor.
ASU football earns SIAC academic awards
Led by Garrett Anderson, Albany State's football program also had 36 players selected to the SIAC Commissioner's All-Academic Team for the 2020-21 school year.
Anderson, a secondary education, was named to the SIAC All-Academic Team. Only athletes with a 3.2 GPA or higher were considered for that honor.
ASU student-athletes, with had a GPA of 3.0 or higher, on the Commissioner's All-Academic Team were as follows:
Garrett Anderson (secondary education), Jhadyon Sullivan (mass communications), John Kelly (health and human performance), Elijah Brown (English), Eric Price (health and human performance), Isaiah Berry (computer science), Derek Davis (health and human performance), Kathomias Turnage (health and human performance), Derik Davis (health and human performance), Jordan Williams (mass communications), Antonio Leroy (public administration), Raymond Thomas (public administration), Marlon Pollock (mass communications), Roderick Welch (criminal justice), Keontre Stubbs (health and human performance), Marcuis Fulks (health and human performance), Collins Giovingo (health and human performance), Joshua Simon (sociology), Tori Sapp (health and human performance), Cameron Hopkins (health and human performance), Arinzechukwu Okwu (health and human performance), Ethan Walker (marketing), Braylen Howard (health and human performance), Anton Cousins (criminal justice), Malik Pierce (biology), Oliver Svirsky (sociology), Branderius Rawlings (accounting), Gabriel Ballinas (management, business administration), Zydarius Boykin (health and human performance), Isaiah Holloway (health and human performance), Calvin Lewis (accounting), Tupac Lanier (supply chain and logistics management), Brindon Manuel (accounting), Marcus Gaye (computer science), Jajuan Gordon (health and human performance) and Victor Pinendo (secondary education).
Albany State racks up academic honors
In addition to the football recognition, Albany State also earned academic acclaim in other sports for 2020-21.
Kamryn Lane, a Lee County grad majoring in health and human performance, made the SIAC All-Academic Team, which featured the top athletes who also maintained a 3.2 GPA or higher, for women's volleyball. Imani Jones (women's track and field, biology), Lachlan Ross (baseball, accounting) and Pierce Thomas (baseball, math) also earned spots on the SIAC All-Academic Team in their sports.
ASU also saw the following athletes selected for the SIAC Commissioner's All-Academic Team for maintaining a 3.0 GPA or higher in 2020-21:
Women's Cross Country: Erin McCoy (health and human performance)
Volleyball: Kamryn Lane (health and human performance), Kassandra Kile (health and human performance), Jordryn Terrell (health and human performance), Davonna Byrd (health and human performance), Zoie Foston (health and human performance), Khalia Thompson (psychology), Jannai Cheeks (health and human performance), Jada Reed (health and human performance), Jourden Holmes (psychology), Asante Culverson (health and human performance) and Lenee Blot (mathematics)
Men's Basketball: Jamie Hastings (business administration), Travis Baker (health and human performance), Titus Burns (health and human performance), Rodney Hunter (criminal justice), Malik Parker (criminal justice), Jamarcis Nunally (middle grades education), Jaylyn Harper (management, business administration) and Victor Robinson (health and human performance)
Women's Basketball: Yolanda Fason (criminal justice), Trametria Scott (health and human performance), Kayla Milner (accounting), Kierra York (health and human performance), Gemiya Bowman (criminal justice), Passion Thomas (health and human performance), Camille Smith (management, business administration), Yolanda Givens (criminal justice), Alesa Green (early childhood education), Alexandria Booker (health and human performance), Jordan Sales (criminal justice), Chelsea Hill (forensic), Edith Gordon (health and human performance) and Kailyn Kimpson (biology)
Women's Tennis: Ana Forero Lopez (visual arts), Allyah Williams (biology), Lauren Johnson (health and human performance), Zikeria Jones (accounting), Sumana Panuganti (computer science), Doylisha Copeland (health and human performance) and Asia Raulerson (biology)
Men's Track and Field: Demetrius Carson (criminal justice), Clifford Russell (health and human performance), Kobe Russell (health and human performance), Jordan Smith (health and human performance), Nigel Trim (health and human performance), Obafemi Opaaje (health and human performance), Cameo Wilkerson (health and human performance), Pierre Weaver (health and human performance), Timothy Heyward (political science), Shannon Carter (health and human performance) and Ed Gilbert (secondary education)
Women's Track and Field: Imani Jones (biology), Samia Park (psychology), Ty'Asia Thorton (psychology), Ashanti Evans (health and human performance), Maloni Lewis (health and human performance) and Jasmine Witchard (psychology)
Baseball: Lachlan Ross (accounting), Pierce Thomas (math), Jonathan Palmer (health and human performance), Chase Karn (management, business administration), Tyler McConnell (health and human performance), William Antunez (health and human performance), Tucker Jordan (middle grades education), Jonathan Henry (health and human performance), Ethan Gay (biology), Jaelyn Brooks (psychology), William Barry (health and human performance), Joseph Jacobsen (secondary education), Anthony Nettles (business administration), Michael Rountree (business administration), Dominic Rutigliano (managment, business administration), Jared Spinner (criminal justice), Quintard Wright (computer science), Thomas Howell (interdisciplinary studies), Jackson Miller (health and human performance) and Terence Thomas (biology).
