CLEVELAND, Ohio – The University of West Alabama Department of Athletics placed 13 student-athletes on the 2009-10 Division II Athletics Directors Association (DII ADA) Academic Achievement Awards list presented by WeatherPORT. The Academic Achievement Awards is a program that recognizes the academic accomplishments of student-athletes at the Division II level.

UWA was one of four schools from the Gulf South Conference represented on the list; joining instructions such as the University of Alabama in Huntsville, North Alabama and West Florida and in-state institution Montevallo.

“The number one reason a student attends college should be academics,” said UWA Director of Athletics Dr. E. J. Brophy. “These young people have brought positive recognition to UWA because of their academic prowess and we are extremely proud of them. They personify what the term student-athlete is all about.”

Student-athletes receiving the honor are: James Gardner (Men's Tennis), Casey Byrnes (Women's Volleyball), Jessica Crook (Women's Volleyball), Chanelle Esteban (Women's Volleyball), Alexis McHale (Women's Volleyball), Ana Gabriela Pedrosa (Women's Volleyball), Jazlyn Wright (Women's Volleyball),
Marc Mahler (Baseball), Colin McKeen (Baseball), Katharine Ford (Softball), Polina Babkina (Women's Tennis/Cross Country), Carolyn Mancuso (Women's Cross Country) and Grant Mattix (Football).

"We want to thank and congratulate those colleges and universities that took part in honoring its student-athletes," stated Division II ADA President Greg Waggoner, director of athletics at Western State College of Colorado. "We look forward to continued participation in the future and wish everyone the best of luck during the upcoming year. We also want to thank WeatherPORT for making this important recognition possible."

Ninety-two institutions sent in nominees for the 2009-10 Academic Achievement Awards, while a total of 3,022 student-athletes are being recognized this year. The Northeast-10 Conference had 350 student-athletes honored, followed by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) with 349 nominees.

In order for a student-athlete to receive an Academic Achievement Award, the athletics director of the Division II institution must be a current dues paying member of the DII ADA and the student-athlete must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher, have attended a minimum of two years of college level work and have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her last academic year.