HAMPTON, VA- Twenty student-athletes from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association have been named to the CIAA Commissioner’s All-Academic Team.
 
"The conference and its member institutions are extremely proud of these young, bright student-athletes. Their hard work and tenacity in reaching their academic and athletic goals are to be commended,” comments Interim Commissioner Peggy Davis.
 
Johnson C. Smith dominates the 2011-12 First Team led by Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field standout Akino Ming. Ming, a junior, Communications major from St. Thomas, finished the academic season with a 3.82 gpa. Shavonda Price (3.68, Women’s Basketball) and Xahnn-Georgia Reid (3.85, I/O T&F) also ranked with first team honors for the Golden Bulls.
 
CIAA Female and Male Scholar Athletes of the Year, Lolia Kienka (Shaw) and Christopher Copeland (SAC) also highlight the first team.   Kienka of the Shaw Lady Bears’ Women’s Tennis team, finished this season with a 3.91 gpa in International Relations and Business Management with a minor in Accounting.  Kienka was awarded CIAA Women’s Tennis Player of the Year, Women’s Tennis Championship MVP and was listed on the CIAA All-Conference Team.  She finished the season undefeated with a 21-0 record.  Lolia is a Shaw Presidential Scholar, Student Ambassador, Nigerian Red Cross volunteer and has won the Shaw U. Gold Pen, Chester Davis Sportsmanship Award, and Athletic Director’s Award.  
 
Christopher Copeland, a St. Augustine’s College Falcon Track and Field student-athlete, a 3.64 senior Sports Management major, won the NCAA Indoor High Jump title with a career best leap of 7’3” and also won the CIAA Indoor and Outdoor High Jump title with a 6’10” mark.  Copeland was named to the 2011 USTFCCCA Division II All-Academic Track and Field team and was named as a 2011 USTFCCCA Division II Track & Field All-American. Christopher is a SAC Presidential Scholar and has organized youth events and activities at Garner Road Community Center in Raleigh, NC.
 
To be eligible for the Commissioner’s All-Academic Team, a student-athlete must have completed one full academic year at a CIAA institution, earned a minimum 3.20 overall grade point average and have excelled as a starter or significant reserve in a CIAA sanctioned sport.

2011-2012 CIAA COMMISSIONER’S ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM

CIAA School Reference (Location)
BSU - Bowie State University (Bowie, MD)
CU - Chowan University (Murfreesboro, NC)
ECSU - Elizabeth City State University (Elizabeth City, NC)
FSU - Fayetteville State University (Fayetteville, NC)
JCSU - Johnson C. Smith University (Charlotte, NC)
LUP - Lincoln University of PA (Lincoln, PA)
LC - Livingstone College (Salisbury, NC)
SAC - Saint Augustine’s College (Raleigh, NC)
SU - Shaw University (Raleigh, NC)
VSU - Virginia State University (Petersburg, VA)
VUU - Virginia Union University (Richmond, VA)
WSSU - Winston-Salem State University (Winston-Salem, NC)