Hampton, VA – The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) announced the 40 student-athletes (20 males, 20 females) from the 12 member institutions to the 17th annual CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Team. Four student-athletes from Johnson C. Smith University were named to the All-Academic First Team; including senior sprinter
Danielle Williams (St. Andrew, Jamaica), who was named the Female Scholar Athlete of the Year.
The 2014 CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Team consists of 20 male and 20 female student-athletes, 10 on the First Team and 10 on the Second Team, as voted on by the CIAA Sports Information Directors' Association. The average grade point average of the First Team is a 3.889, and the average for the Second Team is a 3.697 GPA (on a 4.0 scale).
Senior sprinter
Samantha Elliott (Kingston, Jamaica), sophomore third baseman
Morgan Hasty (Salem, IN), and Williams were the three female JCSU representatives on the All-Academic First Team. Senior thrower
Randale Watson (Kingston, Jamaica) was the only male representation for JCSU.
Williams, a senior sprinter and hurdler on the JCSU women's indoor and outdoor track and field teams, has represented her institution and the CIAA conference with performances worthy of national recognition. She was named the Division II Indoor National Track Athlete of the Year. During the 2014 NCAA Division II Indoor Championships, Williams became the first student-athlete in DII history to claim three individual track titles at the same indoor national championship meet with crowns in the 60 meters, 200 meters and the 60-meter hurdles.
At the CIAA Outdoor Championships, Williams was named the 2014 Women's Outdoor Track MVP en route to the team winning the title. She won the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 100 meters hurdles events. Those victories produced 30 points towards securing the repeating as conference champions. . Williams recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from JCSU with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
Hasty had an impressive initial season on the softball diamond en route to being selected to the CIAA All-Rookie Team. She led the Golden Bulls in slugging percentage (.700), on-base percentage (.467), runs scored (24), and homeruns (6). Her homeruns are a tie for third most in the entire conference. She also played in and started a team-high 36 games this season. Hasty had 90 at-bats, 35 hits, 20 RBIs, six doubles, and two triples on the year. She holds a 4.0 grade point average as a Sport Management major.
Elliott has been stellar this year in the arena of track and field. She repeated as the 400m hurdles champion at the 2014 Penn Relays. Elliott also won the 400m hurdles event at the 2014 Raleigh Relays. She helped JCSU repeat as CIAA Outdoor Track and Field Champions by competing in the 100m hurdles, 400m dash, and 4x100m relay at the championships. Elliott earned NCAA DII Indoor All-American honors in the 60m dash, 200m dash, 60m hurdles, and 4x400m relay events. She received All-CIAA honors for both indoor and outdoor seasons. Elliott was twice named the USTFCCCA DII National Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week this year. Like her teammate, Elliott also graduated Summa Cum Laude from JCSU with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
Watson delivered another strong year in the classroom and on the field of competition. He won his third CIAA outdoor shot put championship, in addition to receiving All-CIAA honors for the shot put and discus events. Watson was also named to the USTFCCCA Indoor Atlantic Region Team for the shot put event. He had a throw of 16.18m in the shot put for second place at CIAA Indoor Championships. Watson took first place in the shot put at the George Mason Invitational with a new JCSU record of 16.46m. Watson graduated Summa Cum Laude from JCSU with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering.
The 2014 CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Men's First Team includes Pedro Aiala (tennis) of Chowan; Brandon Jobe (golf) of Fayetteville State;
Randale Watson (track and field) of Johnson C. Smith; Mark Thomas (basketball) of Livingstone; Byron Munro (football), John King, Jr. (track and field), and Taffawee Johnson (track and field) of Saint Augustine's; Charles Silva (tennis) and Juan Sanchez (tennis) of Shaw; and Nathaniel Hartung (football) of Winston-Salem State.
The 2014 CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Women's First Team consists of Cassandra Clayborne (softball) of Bowie State; Courtney Baker (softball) of Chowan;
Danielle Williams (track and field),
Samantha Elliott (track and field), and
Morgan Hasty (softball) of Johnson C. Smith; Jo'Landa White (softball), Daja White (softball), Cherrisse Lynch (track and field), and Brittany Brown (track and field) of Saint Augustine's; and Melyse Brown (basketball) of Virginia Union.
To be eligible, a student-athlete must have completed one full academic year at a CIAA institution, earned a minimum 3.20 overall grade point average, and played as a starter or important reserve in a CIAA sanctioned sport.
Complete listing of the 2014 CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic First and Second Teams:
Men's All-Academic First TeamMark Thomas Sr. LC Basketball
Randale Watson Sr. JCSU Track & Field
Charles Silva Sr. Shaw Tennis
Nathaniel Hartung Sr. WSSU Football
Juan Sanchez Jr. Shaw Tennis
Brandon Jobe Jr. FSU Golf
Byron Munro Sr. SAU Football
John King Jr. Jr. SAU Track & Field
Pedro Aiala Sr. Chowan Tennis
Taffawee Johnson Sr. SAU Track & Field
Women's All-Academic First TeamDanielle Williams Sr. JCSU Track & Field
Samantha Elliott Sr. JCSU Track & Field
Cassandra Clayborne Jr. BSU Softball
Jo'Landa White Jr. SAU Softball
Daja White So. SAU Softball
Cherrisse Lynch Jr. SAU Track & Field
Brittany Brown Sr. SAU Track & Field
Melyse Brown Jr. VUU Basketball
Morgan Hasty So. JCSU Softball
Courtney Baker Sr. Chowan Softball
Men's All-Academic Second TeamAnthony Michael So. VUU Tennis
Joseph McLean Jr. FSU Football
Corey Bonnette So. WSSU Tennis
Federico Ghelli Jr. LUPA Cross Country
Daniel Mammah Jr. LUPA Football
Denford Moore So. VSU Track & Field
Phoenix Butler-Poole Jr. Chowan Basketball
Ray Prosise So. VSU Football
Aaron Bryant Sr. VSU Golf
Brandon Robinson Jr. VSU Football
Women's All-Academic Second TeamVictoria Davis Sr. SAU Basketball
Cameryn Smith So. VSU Softball
Akysia Resper Sr. FSU Basketball
Joylene Thompson Sr. FSU Volleyball
Nicole Sciortino Jr. SAU Bowling
Imani Wood Sr. VSU Volleyball
Hayley Flint Jr. BSU Softball
Jasmine Elum Sr. WSSU Basketball
Jessica Mattia Sr. VSU Softball
Dionna Scott Jr. WSSU Basketball
