Four Earn All-Academic Honors
12/19/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 19, 2003
PLANO, Texas - Led by Northwestern State University linebacker Paul Mefford as Student-Athlete of the Year, 20 Southland Conference football players have been tabbed to the league's 2003 All-Academic team.
All six Southland universities placed at least one student-athlete on the team with regular-season champion McNeese State University leading the way with seven selections. Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin State University each landed four picks.
The all-academic teams, voted on by the head coaches, sports information directors and academic/compliance administrators, honor student-athletes who have earned at least a 3.00 grade point average while serving as a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletic credentials. Student-athletes must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing within the institution and must have completed one full academic year at the nominating institution.
The student-athlete of the year is annually presented to the individual in each conference sport who achieves excellence in academics, athletics and community/campus service. Nominees shall have earned at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average to go along with superior athletics achievement.
Mefford, a sophomore business administration major with a 3.91 cumulative grade point average, was the SLC's only first-team Academic All-District VI selection, picked by sports information directors in the region, this fall. He was the second-leading tackler for the nation's No. 9 ranked team in total defense as he recorded 100 tackles for his 6-6 Demons. Mefford also recorded 11.5 tackles for lost yardage and had 3.5 quarterback sacks.
Topping the list from McNeese State is junior quarterback Scott Pendarvis, who has compiled a 3.34 grade point average in accounting. He helped the Cowboys to a 10-2 season by completing 142-of-244 passes for 2,186 yards with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions.
The other six Cowboys joining Pendarvis on the all-academic team are from the defensive side of the football. After helping McNeese to its third-straight regular-season title, defensive linemen Michael Swansey and Ryan Thompson, linebacker Roy Farias, defensive backs Cedric Lars and Kyle Richey and punter Jason Cook, have been recognized for their academic achievements.
Joining Mefford from Northwestern State on the all-academic squad are John Gilpin at tight end, kicker Tommy Hebert and linebacker Josh Burton.
Three of the four Stephen F. Austin selections are offensive linemen. Senior David Phillips and sophomores Matt Hoelscher and Luke Good helped the Lumberjacks to a 7-4 record and second-place finish in the standings. The fourth is junior defensive lineman Kenneth Winters, an accounting major from Raywood, Texas, with a 3.17 GPA.
Texas State University's two placements came at the wide receiver position as K.R. Carpenter and Beau Robertson combined for almost 1,000 yards receiving and nine touchdowns for the Bobcats.
Offensive linemen Dustin Denault and Joseph Trosclair represent Nicholls State after helping the Colonels rank No. 1 nationally for 10 weeks this year in rushing offense. The duo started all 11 games for the third-place Colonels.
Rounding out the 2003 team is defensive lineman Troy Phipps of Sam Houston State. Joining SFA's Phillips as the only two players named first-team All-Conference and first-team All-Academic, Phipps played this season as a graduate student and maintains a 3.00 GPA in psychology.
2003 SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE FOOTBALL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAMSOFFENSE Name Pos. University Cl. GPA/Major Hometown Scott Pendarvis QB McNeese State Jr. 3.34/Accounting Walker, La. K.R. Carpenter WR Texas State So. 3.40/Health and Fitness Schertz, Texas Beau Roberton WR Texas State Sr. 3.51/Biology Buda, Texas John Gilpin TE Northwestern State Jr. 3.41/Hospitality Mgmt. & Tourism Slidell, La. Dustin Denault OL Nicholls State Sr. 3.98/General Studies Concordia, Kan. Luke Goode OL Stephen F. Austin So. 3.40/Biology Lone Oak, Texas Matt Hoelscher OL Stephen F. Austin So. 3.70/Criminal Justice College Station, Texas David Phillips OL Stephen F. Austin Sr. 3.20/Chemistry Kemp, Texas Joseph Trosclair OL Nicholls State Jr. 3.64/Accounting Reserve, La. Tommy Hebert K Northwestern State Jr. 3.74/Accounting Opelousas, La.
DEFENSE Name Pos. University Cl. GPA/Major Hometown Troy Phipps DL Sam Houston State Gr. 3.00/Psychology Coldspring, Texas Michael Swansey DL McNeese State Jr. 3.16/Engineering Freeport, Texas Ryan Thompson DL McNeese State So. 3.23/Management Moss Bluff, La. Kenneth Winters DL Stephen F. Austin Jr. 3.17/Accounting Raywood, Texas Josh Burton LB Northwestern State Jr. 3.20/Health and Exercise Science Bossier City, La. Roy Farias LB McNeese State Sr. 3.11/Health and Human Performance Orangefield, Texas *Paul Mefford LB Northwestern State So. 3.91/Business Administration Kingwood, Texas Cedric Lars DB McNeese State Jr. 3.15/Health and Human Performance Shreveport, La. Kyle Richey DB McNeese State So. 3.61/Biological Science Egan, La. Jason Cook P McNeese State So. 3.53/General Business Moss Bluff, La.
*Voted Student-Athlete of the Year
