News Summary
Newberry College honors over 350 student-athletes for academic success while mourning the loss of incoming football player Mycheal Edwards-Wallace. With a significant number achieving recognition, Newberry ranks second in the South Atlantic Conference. Edwards-Wallace was a celebrated athlete in high school, making the tragedy felt deeply within the community. The college also highlights additional academic achievements and staffing changes in the athletic department.
Newberry, South Carolina – Newberry College celebrated academic success among its student-athletes while simultaneously mourning the tragic loss of an incoming football player. For the second consecutive year, the college had over 350 student-athletes recognized on the South Atlantic Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll, with exactly 350 achieving this distinction this year.
To qualify for the honor roll, student-athletes must have competed in a championship sport and maintained a GPA of 3.30 or higher throughout the academic year. Newberry College ranked second within the South Atlantic Conference in terms of student-athletes named to the honor roll.
Among the men’s sports, lacrosse topped the list with 51 recognized student-athletes, followed by baseball with 45 and football with 39. For the women’s sports, softball led with 26, while field hockey had 22, and soccer and lacrosse each had 21 honorees. When examining roster percentages, men’s golf led with an impressive 91% of its players earning recognition, followed closely by women’s tennis at 88%, and women’s golf at 87%.
Additionally, softball and baseball achieved noteworthy percentages, with 86% of their respective rosters honored for their academic achievements. This accomplishment reflects a strong commitment to both athletics and academics among Newberry’s student-athletes.
In a somber turn of events, Newberry College is mourning the loss of Mycheal Edwards-Wallace, an incoming football student-athlete who was tragically killed in his hometown of Kingstree, South Carolina. Edwards-Wallace was highly regarded at Kingstree High School, where he played as both an offensive and defensive lineman. His talent earned him the recognition of being selected as a Class AA all-state player by the South Carolina Football Coaches Association. He also participated in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas and was honored as Kingstree High School’s Male Athlete of the Year.
The Newberry College community has expressed condolences to Edwards-Wallace’s family during this challenging time, recognizing the young athlete’s promising future. His potential on the field and in life had garnered him attention from coaches and peers alike.
In other academic achievements, five Newberry College track and field athletes earned spots on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® Track and Cross Country Team. The honorees include Irma Watson-Perez, Andrea Pascual Rivera, ShaNadia Marshall, Drew Benson, and Addison O’Cain. To attain academic all-district recognition, student-athletes must possess a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 and rank among the top 50 in their regional rankings for a particular event. Watson-Perez, Pascual Rivera, and Marshall are recent graduates, while Benson and O’Cain continue as undergraduates.
The college also announced a staffing change within its athletic department, promoting Sylvester Aremendriz from graduate assistant to Assistant Sports Performance Coach. Armendariz has demonstrated significant contributions to Newberry’s Sports Performance Department, engaging in various strength and conditioning programs for different teams. His background includes a previous internship in football strength and conditioning at the University of Southern California. Armendariz holds both an undergraduate degree from California State Los Angeles and a master’s degree from Newberry College, underscoring his dedication to athletic development.
The dual focus on academic success and the unfortunate loss of a student-athlete highlights the complexities of life at Newberry College. The commitment to maintaining high academic standards remains evident, even in the face of tragedy.
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Additional Resources
- Newberry College Celebrates Academic Success
- Google Search: Newberry College academic success
- Newberry College Mourns Loss of Student-Athlete
- Google News: Newberry College football student-athlete loss
- Newberry College Track and Field Athletes Earn Honors
- Wikipedia: Newberry College
- Armendariz Promoted at Newberry College
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Newberry College
- Mycheal Edwards-Wallace Tragedy Report
- Google Scholar: Newberry College
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