Student-Athletes of the Month for September

September 28, 2010

The recipients of Student-Athlete of the Month honors have been announced by the Office of Student-Athlete Development for September with two men and two women earning recognition for the first month of the academic year. The academic coaches within OSAD selected these four individuals based upon their achievements in academics and their community all while training and competing for their respective Sun Devil teams.<separator></separator>The four Sun Devil student-athletes selected for the month of September include two currently competing with two others preparing for the upcoming seasons. For the women, freshman soccer player Josie Graybeal and junior cross country runner Camille Olson were selected with both women currently competing during the fall semester. For the men, junior track & field sprinter Allante Battle and senior wrestler Bubba Jenkins were selected as they prepare for their athletic seasons in the coming months.<separator></separator>Here is more information on why each of these fine individuals were selected as the Student-Athletes of the Month for September:<separator></separator>Josie Graybeal - Soccer As one of 11 freshmen this year on the women’s soccer team, Josie has been a standout amongst her peers. Since she set foot on campus this past summer, Josie has made a positive impression on her teammates, coaches and academic support staff. As an accountancy major, she is registered for 17 credit-hours this semester and has utilized her time management skills, shows up to scheduled appointments early and was even the first on her team to turn in grade checks and advising forms. No matter what the task, Josie shows up every day with a smile and goes above and beyond what is asked. She has put her best foot forward and lives the Sun Devil way. It is evident that Josie competes with passion and character on the field, in the classroom and in any area she chooses, embodying the true spirit of a Sun Devil.<separator></separator>Camille Olson - Cross Country Off to a running start - finally - Camille has made the most of the first month of the Fall semester. Persevering through illness and injury, Camille has prepared herself to compete once again for the women’s cross country team. Not only has she been training with her teammates for the fall season, but she took time the week before classes began to help a new teammate get around to various offices on campus. She has already been out in the community giving her time to events like “Sports Day” at Carestone Assisted Living. She also has made sure that she will complete her degree in May, as a four-year graduate. Camille wears the Sun Devil uniform well, exemplifying what it means to compete in the classroom, in her sport, and in life.<separator></separator>Allante Battle - Track & Field Allante is a junior sprinter that, like many student-athletes, had a challenging first two years of college. He struggled to find his identity both as a student and as an athlete as he learned to navigate his way on campus and find his place on his team. However, at the start of this fall semester, both his sprints and academic coaches have noticed a huge overall change in Allante’s demeanor and maturity. He has made huge improvements in attitude, work ethic, and has a renewed sense of urgency to complete tasks. Allante has been spending more time studying, working on projects, and staying organized. He has taken ownership and accountability of his Scholar Baller team, is also now a member of SAAC, and has become quite self-sufficient as a student, utilizing campus resources. You will always find Allante smiling or laughing and the amount of energy and focus he has put into this academic year is evident.<separator></separator>Bubba Jenkins - Wrestling Bubba is unlike any other fifth-year senior Sun Devil. He transferred to ASU this summer and had to work extremely hard in his classes to meet the NCAA requirements for eligibility. Bubba persevered through a new environment, heavy academic load, and new expectations and achieved personal records in the classroom. His determination has translated into a successful first month of this semester. Bubba has been out in the community representing his team, keeping his commitment to perform well in the classroom, and taking his younger teammates under his wing. He is someone that is a natural leader in his sport, but has shown his true character by developing into a leader in the classroom. He is focused on an NCAA championship and graduating with a 3.0 GPA. With his work ethic and commitment to consistently raising the bar, he will no doubt be successful.

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