North Carolina Central University

ATHLETICS

     HAMPTON, VA -- Three North Carolina Central University student-athletes have been selected to the ninth annual CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Team, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association announced Tuesday (June 6). 
     NCCU junior softball pitcher Clarisse Steans (Macon, Ga.) and senior golfer Steve Wright (Durham, N.C.) are repeat selections on the CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic First Team, while tennis junior Emily Nwakpuda (Durham, N.C.) earned Second Team recognition. 
     "As the CIAA strives to provide excellence through education and athletics, we are pleased to honor those students that have made a true commitment to themselves to make the best of their educational opportunity," said CIAA Commissioner Leon G. Kerry. "Each of these students exemplifies the meaning of what it is to be self-disciplined, self-motivated and a model for others to follow." 
     Steans, a Chancellor's Scholar with a 3.37 grade point average as a Physics major, was voted to the 2006 CIAA All-Tournament Team as the winning pitcher in all four tournament games to help NCCU win its first conference softball championship since 1999. Named to the All-CIAA First Team for the third consecutive season, she helped the Lady Eagles to the most wins (35) in school history and the team's first-ever NCAA playoff appearance. Steans amassed 131 strikeouts, six shutouts, two no-hitters, an earned run average of 3.05 and held opponents to a .262 batting average in 174.1 innings of play. 
     Wright was the recipient of the 2006 NCCU Chancellor's Award, presented to the student-athlete with the highest grade point average, with a 3.85 as an Elementary Education major.  With an average score of 78.3 in nine rounds of play, Wright helped his team to a second place finish at the 2006 CIAA Golf Championship and a third place effort at the 2006 PGA National Minority Championship. He fired a season-best 71 in the second round of the 2006 CIAA Eastern Division Invitational to lead his team to a second place finish. 
     Nwakpuda, a Chancellor's Scholar with a 3.78 grade point average as a Chemistry major, posted an overall singles record of 5-5, including a 2-1 record at No. 3 singles and a 3-4 record at No. 4 singles. Boasting the highest grade point average on the 2006 women's tennis team, Nwakpuda was one of only four North Carolina residents who received the National American Chemical Society (ACS) Scholar Award in Nov. 2005. 
     The 2006 CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Team recognizes 20 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 3.814, and the average for the Second Team is a 3.850 GPA (on a 4.0 scale). 
     The 2006 CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic First Team consists of Carlos Gutierrez of Elizabeth City State; Clarisse Steans and Steve Wright of North Carolina Central; Ffion Fletcher, Tanisha Hall, Monique Lawson and Daniel Sabogal of Shaw; Valicia Brown and Rebecca Hubbard of Saint Augustine's; and Shannon Davis of Winston-Salem State (see attachment). 
     The 2006 CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Second Team includes Bobby Bienaimee and Brittany Sumpter of Johnson C. Smith; Emily Nwakpuda of North Carolina Central; Issreal Jaimes and Dorothy Vernoy of Saint Augustine's; Marquita Pittman of Shaw; Bridgette Booker and Jermaine LaFate of Virginia State; and Andrew Jones and Chad Oakley of Winston-Salem State. 
     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. 
 

Clarisse Steans

Steve Wright

Emily Nwakpuda

NCCU HONOREES: 
CLARISSE STEANS... Softball... NCCU... Junior... 3.37... Physics
Team Record: 35-16 overall, 21-1 CIAA(CIAA Champions) . Games Played/Started: 33/25 . Pitcher . 2005-06: Voted to CIAA All-Tournament Team as the winning pitcher in all four tournament games to help NCCU win its first conference championship since 1999. Named All-CIAA First Team for the third consecutive season, helping the Lady Eagles to the most wins (35) in school history and the team's first-ever NCAA playoff appearance. Tossed two no-hitters (the third and fourth of her three-year career) - on Feb. 3 vs. Paine and April 4 vs. Saint Augustine's. Amassed 131 strikeouts, six shutouts, two no-hitters, an earned run average of 3.05 and held opponents to a .262 batting average in 174.1 innings of play. Recipient of the 2006 NCCU Softball Academic Award. Chancellor's Scholar. Member of the NCCU Honors Program. Vice President of NCCU Student-Athlete Advisory Council. Member of Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society. Business Diversity Chairman of the National Society of Black Engineers (NCCU Chapter). Presented with the 2005 LeRoy T. Walker Medallion of Honor as the NCCU Female Student-Athlete of the Year. Recognized as a 2005 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar. Voted to 2005 CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic First Team. Conducted experiments in the National Center for Photovoltaics as a Summer Intern (2004 & 2005) at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. As a "Dual-Degree Major," is on track to receive undergraduate degree in Physics from NCCU in 3 years, then go on to Georgia Tech to receive an undergraduate degree in Engineering in 2 years - earning two degrees in 5 years. Career: In just three seasons, has amassed more than twice as many pitching victories (61) and strikeouts (473) than any other Lady Eagle in school history. Voted 2005 CIAA Softball Player of the Year, 2005 All-CIAA First Team, 2005 CIAA All-Tournament Team. In 2005, topped CIAA with 26 wins and 194 strikeouts (both NCCU single-season school records), while throwing every pitch in 266 innings to lead the Lady Eagles to the CIAA Western Division Championship (first since 1998). Voted 2004 CIAA Rookie of the Year and 2004 CIAA All-Tournament Team. 

STEVE WRIGHT... Golf... NCCU... Senior... 3.85... Elementary Education
Team Record: 2nd CIAA Championship and 3rd at PGA National Minority Championship . Events Played/Started: 6/6 out of 6 . Average score of 78.3 in nine rounds of play.  Fired a 71 in the second round of the 2006 CIAA Eastern Division Invitational to lead his team to a second place finish. Shot back-to-back rounds of 78 during the CIAA Championships. Tied for second place with a round of 79 at the WSSU Invitational, leading team to first place finish. Recipient of the 2006 NCCU Chancellor's Award, presented to the student-athlete with the highest grade point average. Voted to the 2005 CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic First Team and 2004 CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Second Team. Team's No. 3 golfer in 2005 with an average score of 83.1 in nine rounds of play. Team's No. 1 golfer in 2004 with an average score of 79.0, including a season-low round of 75. Team placed second at the 2005 and 2004 CIAA Men's Golf Championship. Two-time Team Most Valuable Player at NCCU. Selected as the 2003 CIAA Men's Golf Rookie of the Year. 

EMILY NWAKPUDA... Women's Tennis... NCCU... Junior... 3.78... Chemistry
Team Record: 10-8 overall, 10-6 CIAA . Matches Played/Started: 10/10 . Posted overall singles record of 5-5, including a 2-1 record at #3 singles and a 3-4 record at #4 singles. Overall doubles record of 3-5, including a 1-1 mark at #1 doubles and a 2-4 record at #2 doubles. Highest GPA on the 2006 women's tennis team. One of only four North Carolina residents who received the National American Chemical Society (ACS) Scholar Award. Chancellor's Scholar. Member of the NCCU Chapter of 100 Black Women. Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society. 

     HAMPTON, VA - Twenty student-athletes from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association have been named to the ninth annual CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Team. 
     "As the CIAA strives to provide excellence through education and athletics, we are pleased to honor those students that have made a true commitment to themselves to make the best of their educational opportunity," said CIAA Commissioner Leon G. Kerry. "Each of these students exemplifies the meaning of what it is to be self-disciplined, self-motivated and a model for others to follow." 
     The 2006 CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Team recognizes 20 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 3.814, and the average for the Second Team is a 3.850 GPA (on a 4.0 scale). 
     The 2006 CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic First Team consists of Carlos Gutierrez of Elizabeth City State; Clarisse Steans and Steve Wright of North Carolina Central; Ffion Fletcher, Tanisha Hall, Monique Lawson and Daniel Sabogal of Shaw; Valicia Brown and Rebecca Hubbard of Saint Augustine's; and Shannon Davis of Winston-Salem State (see attachment). 
     The 2006 CIAA Commissioner's All-Academic Second Team includes Bobby Bienaimee and Brittany Sumpter of Johnson C. Smith; Emily Nwakpuda of North Carolina Central; Issreal Jaimes and Dorothy Vernoy of Saint Augustine's; Marquita Pittman of Shaw; Bridgette Booker and Jermaine LaFate of Virginia State; and Andrew Jones and Chad Oakley of Winston-Salem State. 
     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. 

2006 CIAA COMMISSIONER'S ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM 

FIRST TEAM 
Name... Sport... School... Year... Hometown... GPA... Major
Valicia Brown &... Basketball... SAC... Junior... Riverdale, MD... 3.773... Communications
Shannon Davis %$... Bowling... WSSU... Senior... Detroit, MI... 3.802... Business/Sport Manag.
Ffion Fletcher %... Tennis... SU... Senior... Montego Bay, Jam.... 4.00... Computer Info. Systems
Carlos Gutierrez &... Baseball... ECSU... Senior... Bronx, NY... 3.548... Physical Education
Tanisha Hall #... Tennis... SU... Senior... Montego Bay, Jam.... 3.94... Business Administration
Rebecca Hubbard... Basketball, X-Country, Track... SAC... Soph.... Berlin, Germany... 4.00... Psychology
Monique Lawson %... Tennis... SU... Junior... Montego Bay, Jam.... 3.96... Sociology
Daniel Sabogal #... Tennis... SU... Junior... Cali, Columbia... 3.90... Business Administration
Clarisse Steans #... Softball... NCCU... Junior... Macon, GA... 3.37... Physics
Steve Wright #@... Golf... NCCU... Senior... Durham, NC... 3.85... Elementary Education

SECOND TEAM 
Bobby Bienaimee &... Basketball... JCSU... Senior... Miami, FL... 3.82... Computer Info. Systems
Bridgette Booker... Bowling... VSU... Senior... Blackstone, VA... 3.851... Criminal Justice
Issreal Jaimes... Cross Country, Track... SAC... Junior... Wilson, NC... 3.868... Accounting
Andrew Jones... Tennis... WSSU... Soph.... Thomasville, NC... 4.00... Business Administration
Jermaine LaFate &... Football... VSU... Senior... Wilmington, DE... 3.861... Mass Communication
Emily Nwakpuda... Tennis... NCCU... Junior... Durham, NC... 3.78... Chemistry
Chad Oakley #@... Football... WSSU... Senior... Haw River, NC... 3.924... Exercise Science
Marquita Pittman... Softball... SU... Soph.... Ford Heights, IL... 3.93... Political Science
Brittany Sumpter... Basketball... JCSU... Junior... Orangeburg, SC... 3.52... Communication Arts
Dorothy Vernoy... Basketball... SAC... Soph.... Frederick, MD... 3.949... Forensic Science

# = 2005 First Team
% = 2005 Second Team
& = 2005 Honorable Mention
$ = 2004 First Team
@ = 2004 Second Team
 

CIAA School Reference:
BSU = Bowie State University
ECSU = Elizabeth City State University
FSU = Fayetteville State University
JCSU = Johnson C. Smith University
LC = Livingstone College
NCCU = North Carolina Central University
SAC = Saint Augustine's College
SPC = Saint Paul's College
SU = Shaw University
VSU = Virginia State University
VUU = Virginia Union University
WSSU = Winston-Salem State University