2012-13 Pete Tolbert Night of Champions photo gallery

MOBILE, Ala. – The Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball player of the year and four members of the school’s nationally-ranked softball program were among the honorees Tuesday at the University of South Alabama’s fourth annual Pete Tolbert Night of Champions at the Mitchell Center.

Augustine Rubit and Hannah Campbell were named the Jaguar Male and Female Student-Athlete of the Year, respectively, at the event, which recognizes the achievements of USA’s nearly 400 student-athletes in the classroom and competition. Joining Campbell as award winners were teammates Brittany Fowler, Julie Moss and Brittany Campbell, along with a trio of football student-athletes, another from men’s basketball, and one each from the baseball, soccer and volleyball programs.

The Jaguar Student-Athlete of the Year Award is presented to the most outstanding individuals based on scholarship, athletic ability and citizenship.  After averaging 19.4 points and 10.5 rebounds per game — ranking second and first, respectively, in the league — Rubit (Houston, Texas) earn All-American honors from CollegeInsider.com and was a National Basketball Coaches Association first-team all-district selection.  The junior finished with 16 double-doubles, ranking in the top 10 in the country in that category as well as rebounding average, in helping the Jaguars to a 17-13 finish and the program’s first postseason tournament berth since the 2007-08 campaign.

Hannah Campbell (Satsuma, Ala.) is ranked in the top five nationally in earned-run average and saves, leading the Sun Belt in both categories while standing in the top five in wins and strikeouts also.  In 33 appearances, the junior right-hander has compiled an 18-7 record with six saves, a 0.94 ERA and fanned 132 in 164.2 innings.  She recorded her first career no-hitter in March against UC-Santa Barbara, has victories to her credit over nationally-ranked Louisiana-Lafayette and Mississippi State and has saved USA’s wins over then No. 25 Florida State and Mississippi.

Fowler (Jacksonville, Fla.) is the school’s NCAA Woman of the Year nominee; to be eligible for the honor, candidates must be a varsity letterwinner who will complete her intercollegiate eligibility by the end of the spring sports season, and has excelled in academics, athletics, service and leadership with a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.5.  The senior is batting a team-leading .406 with 52 hits, eight home runs, 31 RBI and 48 runs, ranking among the conference leaders in each category.  Moss (Birmingham, Ala.) — who is hitting a career-best .385 with eight homers and 35 RBI — earned the Tom and Barbara Corcoran Scholar-Athlete Endowed Scholarship Award, which is presented to the USA junior who most excels in sports while maintaining at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA.  Brittany Campbell (Phoenix, Ariz.) earned the Denny-Gottfried Athletic Scholarship Award, which goes to a student-athlete who holds a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA, has completed their NCAA eligibility, and with the assistance of the fund will graduate from the University of South Alabama within two consecutive semesters.  The senior’s seven home runs this spring are more than she hit her first three seasons combined, while she is hitting .328 with 11 stolen bases and 33 runs scored.

Thanks to the efforts of the quartet, the Jaguar softball team enters the final week of the regular season 41-7 overall and ranked 18th in this week’s national polls.

Trey Clark (Prattville, Ala.) earned the Jimmy Taylor Scholarship Award, which is given to a student-athlete who has who has exhausted their eligibility, maintained an outstanding GPA and achieved significant athletic accomplishment; not only did he play every snap at center last season for the Jag football squad, but he earned second-team Capital One Academic All-America honors off the field.  Defensive lineman Romelle Jones (New Orleans, La.) was given the Male Perseverance Award while the Male Jaguar Athletic Fund Award was presented to punter Scott Garber (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) for the second time in as many years.

Mychal Ammons (Vicksburg, Miss.), a sophomore forward who averaged 10.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per outing for the men’s basketball team, was selected to receive the Wilson Durgin Memorial Scholarship Award, which is presented to a deserving minority student-athlete.

Cole Billingsley earned the Auralia Crowell Freshman Scholar-Athlete Award presented to the most outstanding freshman based on excellence in academics and athletics.  In his first season with the Jag baseball program, he has batted .295, scored 26 runs and recorded 19 RBI, helping USA to a top-25 national ranking as well as 34-12 overall record.  Kristyn Thacker (Ellenwood, Ga.) won the Female Perseverance Award and Amber Wyatt (Clanton, Ala.) earned the Female Jaguar Athletic Fund Award.

The Forrest W. and Beverly B. Crowder Endowed Scholarship for Baseball went to Brent Mitchell (Paris, Ontario, Canada), while teammate Jacob Noble (Satsuma, Ala.) picked up the Clifton Inge Endowed Baseball Award.  The McKinney Family Endowed Scholarship Fund for Track and Field Award was presented to Garrett Schumacher (Spanish Fort, Ala.), Ross Metheny (Stephens City, Va.) was named the Mayer Mitchell Quarterback Endowment Fund Award winner and the George Smith Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund Award was given to Daniel Ballard (Mobile, Ala.).

The Matt Smith Award winner — presented to a member of the athletic staff who consistently goes the extra mile, has the spirit of commitment, strong work ethic, and a deep sense of pride in their job and is named in memory of former USA Sports Information Director Matt Smith, who passed away December of 2004 — was Associate Athletic Director for Marketing Travis Toth.

Each sport program also presented awards at the fourth annual event.  The winners of those honors were: Eddie Stanky Award (baseball), Mitchell; Goldie Ungar Heart of Gold Award (men’s basketball), Javier Carter; Lady Jag Basketball TEDs Award (women’s basketball), Ronneka Robertson; Female Distance Award (women’s cross country), Salom Lecoq; Male Distance Award (men’s cross country), Patrick Rohr; Jim Yance Heart of a Jaguar Award (football), B.J. Scott; Heath Slocum Award (men’s golf), Jared Burleson; Beth Barry Award (women’s golf), Kristen Golightly; Lindsay Rogers Award (soccer), Jess Oram; Extra Mile Award (softball), Meghan Collins; Lubel Family Award (men’s tennis), Daniel Leitner; Marilyn Lubel Award (women’s tennis), Mary Angela Martin; Female Field Events Award (women’s track and field), Briana Aiken; Male Field Events Award (men’s track and field), Nick Farrell; Female Track Events Award (women’s track and field), Leah Hixon; Male Track Events Award (men’s track and field), Tyler Agee; and, Jaguar Volleyball Award (volleyball), Olivia Mohler.

And, 45 student-athletes who are set to receive their degree in two weeks were given Sun Belt Conference Graduation Medallions as well.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

—USA—