BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – On Tuesday it was announced that 30 Jacksonville State Gamecocks were among the record 286 Ohio Valley Conference student-athletes who earned the OVC Academic Medal of Honor for the 2019-20 academic year.
 
The OVC Academic Medal of Honor is given annually to the student-athletes who achieve the highest grade point average in a Conference-sponsored sport. Every Academic Medal of Honor recipient for the 2019-20 academic year carried a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
 
"Our student-athletes put in a lot of hours to meet the high standards that come with being a Gamecock, and we are especially proud of our most recent academic success given the challenges everyone faced with the pandemic," said Director of Athletics Greg Seitz. "It is a testament to the hard work our academic and coaching staffs have put in to help our student-athletes be successful both in competition and in the classroom."
 
JSU tied Eastern Illinois with 14 sports represented on the OVC's award list. Austin Peay and Eastern Kentucky each had 13 teams honored, while no other league member had more than 11.  
 
The Gamecocks saw 30 student-athletes recognized, led by five from the women's track and field program. Volleyball and beach volleyball each had four apiece, while six other teams had at least two medal of honor recipients.
 
The 286 recipients are the most in a single academic year in the history of the award; over the past five years there have been 1,271 student-athletes earn the OVC Academic Medal of Honor. Due to the extraordinary circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic, spring sport athletes who were eligible and met the GPA requirements, but saw their seasons canceled (therefore not using a season of competition) received the award.
 
Jacksonville State 2019-20 OVC Medal of Honor Recipients

Women's Basketball (2)
Taylor Hawks
McKenna Lawrence

Beach Volleyball (4)
Sadie Anderson *
Lena Kindermann *
Lexie Libs *
Peyton Pauze

Men's Cross Country (2)
Luis Rodriguez
Tony White

Women's Cross Country (1)
Briar Poytress *

Football (2)
Jackson Luttrell
Ty Minshew

Men's Golf (1)
Noah Hume

Women's Golf (1)
Claire Vermette

Rifle (1)
Mackenzie Van Patten

Soccer (2)
Cynthia Bagozzi
Emma Meadows

Softball (2)
Keeli Bobbitt
Reagan Watkins

Men's Tennis (2)
Jordi Blanchar
Andrea Moro

Women's Tennis (1)
Alba Conejero

Track and Field (5)
Carlie Benefield 
Mary Cagle
Nissi Clingan
Baylee Porch
Briar Poytress *

Volleyball (4)
Sadie Anderson *
Claire Behan
Lena Kindermann *
Lexie Libs *