Tech Places Three on Winter GSC All-Academic

Laithe Massey, Katie Horsman and Jessica Weatherford represent the Arkansas Tech basketball programs on the 2010-11 GSC All-Academic teams for winter sports.

The honor squads were announced by the league office on Thursday, March 31.

GSC All-Academic team nominees must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or better and must be significant contributors to their teams. Other factors include leadership, community service and extracurricular activities.

The GSC All-Academic teams are selected by a vote of sports information directors and faculty athletic representatives around the conference.

Massey (photographed, top) is a 6-foot-3 senior point guard from Heber Springs. He has a 3.33 cumulative grade point average and is majoring in health and physical education.

His performance during the 2010-11 season helped the Wonder Boys finish 25-6 overall, win the GSC West Division title, finish as the GSC Tournament runner-up and reach the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Horsman (photographed, bottom left) and Weatherford (photographed, bottom right) are both 6-foot forwards for the Arkansas Tech Golden Suns.

Horsman is a junior from Fairfield Bay, owns a 3.72 cumulative grade point average and is majoring in health and physical education.

Weatherford is a sophomore. She calls Bonnerdale home. Her major field of study is early childhood education and her cumulative grade point average is 3.64.

Their play helped the 2010-11 Golden Suns post an overall record of 30-3, earn the GSC West title, win the GSC Tournament championship and claim the NCAA Division II South Region crown.

Massey led the GSC and ranked third in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.5-to-1) this season.

He was second in the conference and seventh in the country in steals (2.7 per game), and he was second in the GSC and 24th in the nation in assists.

Massey made Arkansas Tech history on Jan. 27, 2011, when he recorded just the second triple-double in Wonder Boys basketball history. Massey scored 17 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out 10 assists in an 85-55 win over Harding University.

A two-time All-GSC West Division selection, Massey finished his career with 763 career points, 549 career rebounds, 436 career assists and 216 career steals. The National Association of Basketball Coaches named him to its 2010-11 All-NCAA Division II South Region team.

Massey completed his four-year career at Arkansas Tech ranked second in school history in career steals (216) and fourth in school history in career assists (436).

Horsman averaged 7.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in 2010-11. She ranked third in the GSC this season in 3-point field goal percentage (.418).

Weatherford was named 2010-11 All-GSC West Division for her performance on the floor. She averaged 12.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Weatherford ranked second in the conference and 28th in the nation in free throw percentage (.845).

In addition to the GSC All-Academic honors for Massey, Horsman and Weatherford, a total of eight student-athletes from the Arkansas Tech basketball programs earned a spot on the GSC Academic Honor Roll.

Student-athletes with a 3.0 cumulative grade point average are named to the GSC Academic Honor Roll.

Arkansas Tech has placed 774 student-athletes on the GSC Academic Honor Roll since joining the league in 1995-96.

Below, listed alphabetically, are Arkansas Tech’s representatives on the GSC Academic Honor Roll for winter 2011:

MEN’S BASKETBALL
Matt Haney (Junior, Dardanelle, Professional Studies, 3.47)
Laithe Massey (Senior, Heber Springs, Health/Physical Education, 3.33)
Ridas Pulkauninkas (Senior, Ukmerge, Lithuania, Speech Communication, 3.40)

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Laura Davidson (Sophomore, Greenwood, Nursing, 4.00)
Jackie Dennis (Sophomore, Danville, Undeclared, 3.60)
Katie Horsman (Junior, Fairfield Bay, Health/Physical Education, 3.72)
Sarah Martin (Sophomore, Muldrow, Okla., Management and Marketing, 3.91)
Jessica Weatherford (Sophomore, Bonnerdale, Early Childhood Education, 3.54)

Click here to view the complete GSC All-Academic team for winter 2011.

Click here to view the complete GSC Academic Honor Roll for winter 2011.

Click here to learn more about Arkansas Tech Athletics.

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