CHAPEL HILL – The North Carolina High School Athletic Association announced today that 127 member schools in the NCHSAA were ejection free in all of their athletic contests during the 2011-12 school year.

The schools were recognized at the Association’s recently completed regional meetings held across the state. The 127 schools represent 32.6 percent of the NCHSAA's member schools, based on the 390 member schools last year.

Two schools, including Jones Senior and Gray Stone Day in Misenheimer, completed their fifth consecutive year without an ejection in any sports.

The North Carolina High School Athletic Association made the awards in its AAA Scholar-Athlete program, which includes recognition of varsity teams that attain certain grades as well as individual athletes.

A total of 10,111 student-athletes earned the individual Scholar-Athlete award.
Individual Scholar-Athletes attained at least a 3.5 grade point average for the semester in which he or she competed. The award is based on first semester grades for fall and winter sports and second semester grades for spring sports, and the school submits the nomination form verifying the grade point average on behalf of the athlete or team.

In the team division, a varsity team earns Scholar-Athlete recognition by attaining a 3.1 aggregate GPA for that designated semester. The school receives a certificate from the Association honoring the accomplishment and each member of the squad will also receive a certificate. A total of 10,042 individual awards were given in this category, and 536 varsity teams captured team honors.

A minimum of five individuals is necessary to constitute a team, and all team members must be included in figuring the team GPA. The team achieving the highest grade point average in the state in its particular sport and submitting its application by the appropriate deadline receives a plaque commemorating that achievement.

In addition, the top three finishers in each sport will receive a cash incentive from AAA for its athletic department as part of the AAA Scholar-Athlete program.

"We are extremely proud of the achievements of these outstanding student-athletes," said Davis Whitfield, NCHSAA commissioner. "Our AAA Scholar-Athlete program demonstrates that we have a tremendous number of athletes who are participating in athletics and succeeding in the classroom."

Marvin Ridge captured top honors in both men's and women's lacrosse.

The Scholar-Athlete program recognized almost 40,000 individuals during the course of the 2010-11 academic year. This recognition has been a part of the NCHSAA program for 25 years.

AAA is one of the NCHSAA's major sponsors. In addition to its sponsorship with the NCHSAA of the Scholar-Athlete program, AAA is working hard on an initiative relative to distracted driving for teens which uses as its slogan, "You Drive. You Text. You Die."

AAA NCHSAA SCHOLAR-ATHLETE TEAM AWARD WINNERS
Spring Sports 2012

Marquez Grayson

Position:  Running Back

School:  Lexington

College:  Undecided

Pharoh Cooper

Position:  Wide Receiver

School:  Havelock

College:  South Carolina

Position:  Tight End

School:  Mount Tabor

College:  Undecided

Pat Roane

Position:  Offensive Lineman

School:  Gray's Creek

College:  N.C. State

Cole Blakenship

Position:  Offensive Lineman

School:  Davie

College:  N.C. State

Dane Rogers

Position:  Defensive Lineman

School:  Crest

College:  Clemson

Nazir Jones

Position:  Defensive Lineman

School:  Roanoke Rapids

College:  UNC

Larenz Bryant

Position:  Linebacker

School:  Vance

College:  South Carolina

Brian Walker

Position:  Defensive Back

School:  Mallard Creek

College:  UNC

Channing Stribling

Position:  Defensive Back

School:  Butler

College:  Michigan

    

Tyler Cochran (Jr)

Position:  Kicker

School:  Marvin Ridge

College:  Undecided

Julian Brown

Position:  Kick Returner

School:  Red Springs

College:  Undecided

Jalen McDaniel

Position:  Athlete

School:  Jack Britt

College:  N.C. State



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