FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 14, 2008

Contact:  Robert Preston, Jr.,
              912.260.4276
              robert.preston@sgc.edu

Three SGC Tigers named Academic All Americans

Three South Georgia College student-athletes have been named Academic All Americans by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

Tessa Ramsey, a member of SGC’s state champion softball team, and soccer players Scott Anderson and Jesse Davis earned the honor by excelling both on the field and in the classroom.

Of the three, Lady Tigers’ outfielder Tessa Ramsey took the most unlikely route to the Academic All America squad. She was two years out of softball when she joined Coach Rob Brunel’s team for the 2006-2007 year. She faced an uphill battle getting back in playing shape, but Coach Brunel said she did a great job returning to the game.

Ramsey was a big part of the Lady Tigers’ 2008 state championship team, batting .311 with four doubles, four RBI and 11 walks. She also proved her mettle in the clutch, coming up big with a number of important hits in key situations.

“She was a leader for us on and off the field. She was quiet and led by example. Obviously, she
was a great student. She worked hard on the field and in the classroom,” said Coach Brunel.

Ramsey was surprised – pleasantly so – that she had been chosen as an Academic All American. “It really is a big honor. I certainly didn’t expect it,” she said. Ramsey added that as important as softball was during her two years at SGC, the classroom was always her number one priority.

Ramsey is currently at home in Winslow, Ariz. She plans to attend Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff this fall.

Scott Anderson came to SGC from Glynn Academy in Brunswick. Glynn Academy is widely regarded as having one of the best soccer programs south of Macon. Anderson had 30 goals for Glynn Academy his senior year. He began his career as a Tiger in 2006-2007 on an academic and athletic scholarship. Anderson was SGC’s second leading scorer in 2006 with 12 goals.

“Scott is very quiet on and off of the field. However, he is a very aggressive player when playing against strong competition. Scott was a captain for us during his sophomore year, and was moved back to the middle of the field to help maintain ball control from the front to the back. He was very instrumental in our 17 win season versus only 4 losses,” said SGC coach Al Horner.

Anderson was named All Region and also earned a nod on the All America/All South team by the National Soccer Coaches’ Association of America. As a result, Anderson was highly recruited to play for several big NCAA Division I programs, but decided to play for Southern Polytec Institute. Anderson said SGC professor Frank Howilski introduced him to psychology. Because of Howiski’s influence , he’s studying engineering psychology at Southern Polytechnic in addition to continuing his playing career.

“SGC was an excellent stepping stone for me both academically and athletically. At SGC I really got a feel for the college environment and learned to acquire effective time-management skills, as playing a sport in college always conflicts with academics. Overall, SGC was an excellent building block for my
future and was an experience I will keep with me forever,” said Anderson.

Jesse Davis was one of SGC’s many international students. He played his high school/club soccer in Trinidad and Tobago. Davis was a solid Division I prospect, but decided to begin his playing career at the Division I junior college level. Also a sophomore, he joined the Tigers in 2006-2007.

Davis was strictly a midfielder from the beginning of his college career. “He is tenacious and aggressive in the middle of the field, and effective also on the outside due to his speed. Jesse is a player who stays in top condition, and during the off season worked extremely hard to increase his strength. It was very effective for him, and the hard work paid off for him during his sophomore year. Not only was he aggressive, but he now was able to dish out some hard tackles to the opposing team,” said Coach Horner.

“South Georgia was a good stepping stone to a four year University and, as an international student, it prepared me for life in the South,” said Davis.

Davis was recruited by several top programs, including some NCAA Division I schools. However, he chose to attend the Division II program at Georgia Southwestern University.

“It is an honor to have three of our student-athletes named to the Academic All America team. First and foremost, our athletes are here to get an education. Having these three students named to the Academic All America roster shows this college’s commitment to providing the very best education to both athletes and non-athletes alike. I’m excited for these students and South Georgia College,” said Rob Brunel, SGC Athletic Director.

CUTLINE: Scott Anderson, Tessa Ramsey, and Jesse Davis

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About South Georgia College

South Georgia College (www.sgc.edu) was founded in 1906 and is a two-year institution in the University System of Georgia. Located in Douglas, Ga., the college's environment gives students exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty.