BALTIMORE, Md. -- The Coppin State department of athletics held its annual Breakfast of Champions event in the Talon Center to honor the academic achievements of its student-athletes.
Coppin State student-athletes were recognized for their outstanding scholastic achievements of the spring 2015 semester while eating chocolate-chip pancakes, omelets packed with ham, onions, mushrooms, spinach and cheese. In addition, there was also plenty of sausage, bacon, potatoes, fruit, cereal and muffins consumed as well.
Candice Beverly (women’s basketball), Melissa Caddle-Hope (women’s track and field), Taariq Cephas (men’s basketball graduate), Deandra Daniel (women’s track and field), Kristen Deacon (women’s track and field), Alejandro Hernandez (baseball graduate), Kendra Ireigbe (volleyball), Bailee Jackson (volleyball), Kareem Sallay (baseball), Chelsee Sauni (volleyball) Candace Van Horn (softball graduate) Michael Wright (baseball graduate) were each honored for achieving a perfect 4.00 grade-point average during spring semester.
Headlining the group of 4.0 student-athletes is Van Horn, who became the first female in Coppin State’s history to earn Academic All-America honors. The two-time All-MEAC selection played professionally in Germany this past summer.
Daniel is an All-American track athlete, six-time MEAC high jump champion, Coppin State’s 2015 Female Athlete of the Year, Coppin State’s 2015 Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Pan-Am Games participant.
Caddle-Hope, Cephas and Sauni earned all-MEAC recognition in their respective sports. The all-time assists leader in Coppin State volleyball history, Sauni is one of 30 nominees for the prestigious Senior CLASS Award.
The Coppin State volleyball team earned the highest overall GPA for the 14 sports at 3.70, the sixth consecutive semester it has earned that distinction.
CSU student-athletes enrolled in the 2015 spring semester had a collective term grade point average of 3.04, marking the 14th consecutive semester since the appointment of Director of Athletics, Derrick K. Ramsey that the combined term grade point average has been above a 3.0.
“It makes me proud to see us continue our academic success,” Coppin State Director of Athletics Derrick K. Ramsey said. “While we're happy with the accomplishments of our student-athletes, we're not satisfied. Our overall goal as a department is have a collective 3.2 overall GPA and to have an 80 percent graduation rate.”
Six programs had team grade point averages of 3.0 or better (volleyball, bowling, women’s tennis, men's track and field, softball and baseball). Other superlatives included the women's bowling team earning the most improved award for increasing its grade point average from the fall to the spring semester.
In addition to the 13 student-athletes, who posted a 4.0 grade point average, 22 student-athletes had a GPA of 3.5 or higher and 38 student-athletes had a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
“I am very proud of the student-athletes,” Coppin State president Dr. Maria Thompson said. “To hear their academic accomplishments just warmed my heart. Not only do these students study and do incredibly well in their academics, but they get up early to exercise, train and get on the road. Their accomplishments are just incredible.”