Members of the Union Pines boys’ soccer team combined for a 3.636 grade point average to gain the status as the boys’ soccer team with the highest GPA in the state for the fall of 2002 season.
They topped 350 schools in all classifications and joined 431 schools gaining team recognition nationwide.
Each team member will receive a certificate issued by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) and the school will receive a monetary award. The NCHSAA recognizes the top varsity teams in each sport holding an average of at least 3.1. Individual team members are also recognized for outstanding grades. The team awards are based on unweighted GPAs while the individual awards are based upon weighted ones.
Among the Union Pines players, seniors Jacob Elliott and Russell Papineau, junior Kory Gray, sophomores Lee Allen, Caleb Stetson and Eli Vaughn and freshman Martin Locklear all had unweighted averages of 4.0.
Union Pines coach Chris Hadlock traveled to the Dean Dome at UNC-Chapel Hill along with principal Robin Lea and athletic director Bill Medlin on May 1 to receive the team plaque presented by representatives from the NCHSAA.
Upon learning of the honor, Hadlock said, “I am proud that these students can balance athletics and academics so well.”
Individuals receiving certificates from the NCHSAA based on their weighted GPAs are Elliott (4.565), Papineau (4.47), Gray (4.72), Allen (4.47), Vaughn (4.47), Stetson (4.75), Locklear 4.313) and sophomores Jeremy Homesly (4.22) and Daniel Mebane (4.19).
Amanda Wilson is a student at Union Pines and a staff-member of the student newspaper.
