After putting in some terrific efforts both on the field and in the classroom, the Claflin University baseball duo of Charles Jackson and MacKenzie Gay were honored when they were named to the Peach Belt Conference Baseball Team of Academic Distinction, presented by Barnes & Noble College, Friday afternoon.
The Panthers earned their spot on the team after meeting the qualifying standards set by the Peach Belt Conference. To be eligible, a student-athlete must 1) participate in at least half of the team’s events and eighter be a starter of significant contributor, 2) achieved a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale and 3: completed at least one full academic year at his current institution and has reached sophomore athletic eligibility.
Both Jackson and Gay were significant members of the Panthers’ 2022 team. Jackson finished the season with 34 total strikeouts to lead the Panthers while Gay finished the season with 14 strikeouts and just one home run allowed.
The honor is another academic feather in the cap for the Claflin University athletics department that produced over 100 student-athletes with at least a 3.0 GPA this semester. The honor is presented by Barnes & Noble.