It is that time of year again when GoMocs.com takes a look back at the accomplishments of the 2009-10 season and celebrates the steps taken to establish comprehensive excellence as the UTC standard.  Started in 2009, the Mocs Mission Review is an annual recap of UTC Athletics broken down into the three key areas of the Mocs Mission; Academically, Athletically and Socially. 

It is the mission of the UTC Athletics Department to guide, encourage and support our Student-Athletes in their quest for comprehensive excellence - academically, athletically and socially.  Above all else, we prepare students for productive and meaningful lives. 

This week, we look at how the Mocs performed in the classroom and their honors and achievements off the field.  Chattanooga student-athletes put up some impressive numbers that had nothing to do with wins and losses this season. 

The overall grade-point-average for the Mocs was a 2.87 for the spring 2010 semester.  This was the highest mark since 2007 and the fifth-straight semester UTC student-athletes increased their overall g.p.a.

"The continuous improvement of our student-athletes in the classroom over the past five terms is impressive," stated Director of Athletics Rick Hart.  "I still challenge them all to keep the trend going, but it is easy to see that they are headed in the right direction." 

Below is a compilation of the many wonderful academic achievements that were celebrated on GoMocs.com throughout the year.  These accolades were earned in the classroom in the same year UTC won four SoCon titles, had seven teams represented in the postseason, earned two All-American honors and had five SoCon Athletes of the Year. 

"We are creating an environment of academic excellence within the UTC Athletics Department," stated Hart.  "Our student-athletes deserve the credit for their hard work, but they also have the help of a very talented group of faculty, coaches and support staff committed to guiding, supporting and encouraging them along the way.  We also need to recognize the influence of the Mocs Club members on our student-athletes, whose donations help to underwrite the costs of athletic scholarships at UTC."

Athletic Director's Honor Roll and Dean's List
The Mocs kicked off the year with an excellent fall semester that saw over half of the student-athletes post a 3.0+ semester grade-point-average.  A total of 149 were named to the Athletics Director's Honor Roll while 111 were on the Dean's List with a 3.2+ g.p.a. 

Chattanooga saw 24 student-athletes score a perfect 4.0 g.p.a. for the semester.  These student-athletes were all honored at halftime of the men's basketball game against The Citadel on Jan. 14. 

4.0 Grade-Point-Average for the Fall 2009 Semester (24)
Serena Allen - Soccer - Junior - Biology
Tiffany Baker - Softball - Senior - Exercise Science
Courtney Barnes - Volleyball - Junior - Heath & Human Performance
Julie Barnes - Volleyball - Freshman - Health & Human Performance
Danielle Barr - Soccer - Senior - Nursing
Kirsten Beasley - Volleyball - Freshman - History
Morgan Buchanan - Women's Track & Field - Freshman - Pre-Major
Bailee Chastain - Volleyball - Junior - Human Ecology
Michael Danehy - Track & Field/Cross Country - Senior - Accounting
Tara Gietema - Women's Track & Field - Junior - Marketing
Kristin Holloway - Softball - Junior - Exercise Science
Kandice Irwin - Softball - Junior - Exercise Science
Demetrius Johnson - Wrestling - Sophomore - Criminal Justice
Matthew Kenwright - Track & Field/Cross Country - Freshman - Communications
Maria Juliana Loza - Women's Golf - Sophomore - Mechanical Engineering
Susanne Mader - Soccer - Sophomore - French
Steven Nease - Football - Freshman - Biology
Jenna Nurik - Women's Tennis - Freshman - Pre-Major
Ryan Pool - Men's Tennis - Freshman - Biology
Grace Robinette - Women's Tennis - Junior - Health & Human Performance
Emily Stuart - Women's Track & Field - Senior - Education
Katie Taylor - Women's Golf - Senior - Psychology
Christina Teter - Volleyball - Freshman - Biology
Anneli Uys - Women's Track & Field/Cross Country - Senior - Health & Human Performance

The Mocs kept up the good work in the spring semester as half of the student-athletes at UTC again made the Athletics Director's Honor Roll.  This time 138 were on the Honor Roll, 112 made the Dean's List and 31 had a perfect 4.0 g.p.a.

4.0 Grade-Point-Average for the Spring 2010 Semester (31)
Serena Allen - Soccer - Junior - Biology
Julie Barnes - Volleyball - Freshman - Health & Human Performance
Danielle Barr - Soccer - Senior - Nursing
Kirsten Beasley - Volleyball - Freshman - History
Chris Berry - Men's Cross Country/Track & Field - Junior - Health & Human Performance
Laura Brock - Volleyball - Junior - Health & Human Performance
Morgan Buchanan - Women's Track & Field - Freshman - Pre-Major
Bailee Chastain - Volleyball - Junior - Human Ecology
Lucas Cotter - Men's Cross Country/Track & Field - Freshman - Accounting
Michael Danehy - Men's Track & Field/Cross Country - Senior - Accounting
William Disterdick - Men's Tennis - Freshman - Business Entrepreneurship
Robert Harrison - Football - Freshman - Business General Management
Irvin Hernandez - Football - Freshman - Legal Assistant Studies
Marlee Jenkins - Soccer - Senior - Biology
Beata Knizat - Women's Tennis - Senior - MBA
Maria Juliana Loza - Women's Golf - Sophomore - Mechanical Engineering
Susanne Mader - Soccer - Sophomore - French
Jason McCroskey - Wrestling - Sophomore - Mechanical Engineering
David Moore - Men's Cross Country/Track & Field - Engineering
Steven Nease - Football - Freshman - Biology
Brock Oliver - Football - Sophomore - Business General Management
Sam Parfitt - Men's Tennis - Sophomore - History
Heather Parman - Volleyball - Freshman - Criminal Justice
Derek Rende - Men's Golf - Senior - Criminal Justice
Ben Rickett - Men's Golf - Senior - Psychology
Grace Robinette - Women's Tennis - Junior - Health & Human Performance
Gordon Ruddell - Men's Tennis - Junior - Biology
Jessica Scott - Volleyball - Junior - Civil Engineering
Becca Smith - Soccer - Freshman - Interior Design
Katie Stuart - Women's Cross Country/Track & Field - Freshman - English
Christina Teter - Volleyball - Freshman - Biology

One amazing fact about the 55 4.0's last year, 30 were earned by student-athletes during their competition season.

"To have over half of our student-athletes on the Athletics Director's Honor Roll for each of the last two semesters is an impressive accomplishment," added Hart.  "I am also very impressed with those who reached comprehensive excellence in the classroom by posting a perfect 4.0 g.p.a. while also balancing a busy competition schedule of practice and team travel." 

2009-10 Graduates
The ultimate individual academic goal for all of the Mocs student-athletes is to earn a degree.  UTC had 43 student-athletes accomplish that feat in the last year.  Ten Mocs earned their degrees in the summer of 2009 while nine walked in the fall.  Another 24 received their diplomas at the 2010 Spring Commcement ceremonies.    

2009 Summer Graduates
Aaron Adams - Football - Business Administration
Bonnie Adams - Women's Tennis - Human Ecology
Seth Garvin - Wrestling - Sociology and Anthropology
Cody Cleveland - Wrestling - Criminal Justice
Michaela Huff - Volleyball - History
LaCondra Mason - Women's Basketball - Health & Human Performance
Jarvis Newson - Football - Business Administration
Charles Profit - Football - Business Administration
Kenny Scrivens - Football - Criminal Justice
Kayla Stewart - Women's Golf - Criminal Justice

2009 Fall Graduates
Justin Buckhalter - Football - Psychology
Nick Davis - Wrestling - Sociology and Anthropology
Toni Hutchison - Softball - Health & Human Performance
Jeff Lloyd - Football - Business Administration
Tony Pastore - Football - Health & Human Performance
Joseph Pitman - Football - Health & Human Performance
Steven Smigelsky - Football - Biology
Jeff Smith - Men's Basketball - Business Administration
Clint Woods - Football - Economics       

2010 Spring Graduates
J.T. Clendenin - Men's Golf - Sociology
Blue Cooper - Football - Health and Human Performance
Michael Danehy - Track & Field/Cross Country - Business Administration:  Accounting
Bond Davis - Wrestling - Business Administration:  Entrepreneurship, Marketing and General Management
Bryce Garcia - Football - Psychology
Jare Gault - Football - Business Administration:  General Management
Tripp Harris - Men's Golf - Business Administration:  General Management
Jonathan Hodge - Men's Golf - Health and Human Performance
Shanara Hollinquest - Women's Basketball - Psychology
Kevin Huwe - Track & Field/Cross Country - Mechanical Engineering
Blake Ketron - Track & Field/Cross Country - Criminal Justice
Antonio Miller - Football - Human Services Management
Laura Nethery - Volleyball - Biology
Lara Newberry - Volleyball - Sociology
Ben Rickett - Men's Golf - Psychology
Megan Rollins - Women's Basketball - Criminal Justice
Peter Sauska - Men's Tennis - Business Administration:  Marketing
Ed Sawyer - Football - Criminal Justice
Josh Statum - Wrestling - Economics
Emily Stuart - Track & Field/Cross Country - Education
Tony Swafford - Football - Business Administration:  Marketing
Shelly Taylor - Track & Field/Cross Country - Human Ecology
Joseph Thornton - Football - Criminal Justice
Jenaya Wade-Fray - Women's Basketball - Psychology

"The athletics department was well represented at all of the commencement ceremonies over the past year," added Hart.  "Seeing them receive their diplomas is the culmination of why we are involved in collegiate athletics, to prepare students for meaningful and productive lives." 

Individual Academic Honors
Chattanooga put 63 student-athletes on the Academic All-SoCon teams for the fall, winter and spring sports.  This number was an increase from the 57 Mocs honored in 2008-09.  In order to earn Academic All-SoCon recognition, student-athletes must be in at least their second year at the institution, have a 3.2+ g.p.a. and compete in 50% of their team's contests. 

Some of the top individual academic honors included junior Courtney Barnes earning a spot on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District team for the second year in a row.  One of the top players on the team as a middle blocker, Barnes posted a 3.93 cumulative g.p.a. to earn the recognition. 

Sophomore Jason McCroskey led a group of four wrestlers who were named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic team.  To qualify for the All-Academic team a wrestler must have at least a 3.2 cumulative grade-point-average, be an NCAA qualifier or win 60 percent of his total schedule and compete in at least 60 percent of said schedule. The other way to qualify for the All-Academic team is to have a 3.0 g.p.a. and be an NCAA All-American.  Sophomores Demetrius Johnson and Brandon Wright and freshman Dean Pavlou also made the team. 

Senior men's golfer Derek Rende was named to the Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholars team announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America.  It was his second-straight All-American Scholar Award.

The Dayle May Award is presented each year by Dayle May Jewelers and goes to the male and female seniors with the highest cumulative g.p.a.  David Moore of the men's track & field/cross country teams and Katie Taylor of the women's golf squad were this year's recipients. 

Another member of the track & field squad, Michael Danehy, was one of the top students honored at the 2010 Spring Commencement.  An All-SoCon performer in Cross Country and Track & Field, Danehy was not only a highly acclaimed athlete, but also was among the highest honored students at the graduation ceremonies.  He was elected to the Alpha Society and was one of 10 UTC students who graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

Team Academic Honors
There were a number of team accolades earned by the Mocs during the 2009-10 season and one of the most notable came from the wrestling squad.  The wrestlers put four student-athletes on the NWCA All-Academic team, tying for the most by one school in the nation. 

Both the men's and women's cross country teams earned the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team Award.  For a team to be considered for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team award, they must have competed and compiled a team score at an NCAA Regional Championship and also have a minimum 3.00 team cumulative g.p.a.

The men's cross country team posted a 3.52 g.p.a., tying for No. 9 in the nation among all NCAA Division I programs.  The Lady Mocs owned a 3.53 g.p.a, tying for 28th in the nation among the teams that competed in the regionals in the fall.

The Mocs football team saw 10 student-athletes earn Academic All-SoCon honors in the fall, shattering the previous high of four in the 2007 season.

Chattanooga had 10 teams record a 3.0+ g.p.a. in the fall semester, including men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, soccer, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's track & field and volleyball.  Eight of these 10 teams accomplished their 3.0 g.p.a.'s during their respective competition seasons. 

The women's cross country team had the highest team g.p.a. with a 3.61 in the fall.  It was the highest team g.p.a. for any squad since 2007.

The spring semester saw another 10 teams record a 3.0+ g.p.a., including men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, soccer, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's track & field and volleyball. 

Six of these 10 teams accomplished their 3.0 during their respective competition seasons.  The volleyball squad had the highest team g.p.a. with a 3.60 and was just off the highest mark on record set by the women's cross country team (3.61) in the fall of 2009. 

Men's golf, soccer, volleyball, women's golf, wrestling and football posted their highest team g.p.a.'s dating back to the spring 2007 term.  Volleyball had seven student-athletes score a perfect 4.0 g.p.a., the most by any one team in a semester on record.