By Pia Perthen, Sports Editor
Many student-athletes are working hard on the field or court and striving to give their best in the classroom. To honor this hard work, Saint Leo University holds the President’s Club every semester to honor the athletes whose GPA is in the top 15 percent of all Saint Leo student-athletes of the previous semester.
According to records on the Saint Leo Athletic website, the President’s Club was started in 2001 by the President, Dr. Arthur Kirk, and Vice President and Director of Athletics at the time, Fran Reidy.
At the event, the athletes are recognized by the current President, Dr. Dadez, coaches, administrators, and members of the president’s staff at Saint Leo University.
“I am proud to say that we had a 3.34 overall department GPA, which is pretty good, and we have always had great academic success from our student-athletes,” Marcal Lazenby, the current director of athletics, said.
On Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, the President’s Club ceremony, where the student-athletes will be honored for their academic successes in the Spring 2023 semester, is held during the halftime of the Men’s Basketball game vs. Eckerd College in the Marion Bowman Center.
“One of the reasons why the President’s Club was held during the halftime of the Basketball game was that the student-athletes get the chance to receive more recognition and applause from the crowd that is also watching the basketball game,” Lazenby said.
The student-athletes arrived at 7:30 p.m. at the reception in the hospitality area on the gym balcony, and the athletes changed their usual athletic wear to business casual apparel.
During the reception, light hors d’oeuvres and drinks were served, and the athletes connected with other students from the President’s Club while rooting for the men’s basketball team.
It is possible to be selected for the President’s Club as often as the student-athlete is in the top 15 percent of all student-athletes per semester. This means that, in the very best case, an athlete can be honored eight times if they have pursued their standard undergraduate degree within the usual time frame of four years.
Before halftime, the student-athletes will be lined up in the order by the number of times they have been selected for the President’s Club and presented to the crowd.
“Being honored for already the fourth time makes me even more motivated to give my best since I am a very competitive person,” Spencer Bonner, a graduate student majoring in criminal justice specializing in investigation and part of the Acrobatics and Tumbling Team, said.
Students in the stands cheer for each student-athlete as their headshot appears on the Marion Bowman Center gym screen while they walk across the court.
The athlete’s final destination is to receive a firm handshake from Saint Leo University President Dr. Dadez, their certificate, and a little surprise gift.
“The President’s Club is a great opportunity to showcase what it means to be a student-athlete and highlight the great achievement of having a high GPA,” Dr. Dadez said.
Even though Eckerd College won with a score of 81-73, the President’s Club honorees could be satisfied with a successful evening since it was filled with recognizing their academic success mixed with exciting basketball action.
