Thursday, April 06, 2006

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (April 6, 2006) - Hundreds of events around the nation will celebrate today as the 19^th annual National Student-Athlete Day. For student-athletes at ETSU, the honoring of this special day began Wednesday with a campus cleanup and cookout during the Buccaneers' baseball game with Tennessee.

ETSU student-athletes came out to make what has become an annual trip around campus. "It is really a beautification process," said Lee Morrow, head strength and conditioning coach for the Bucs. "We also are having a cookout at the baseball game later on to honor the teams."

The different athletic teams split up and made their way around campus picking up litter.

"I think it is great for the athletes to get involved," said Jennifer Sartor, a senior volleyball player. "Hopefully our efforts will encourage other students to get involved in keeping the campus clean".

The annual event is not only beneficial to the campus, but to the students involved as well.

"It is always good to give back to the school," said Brad Nuckles, a senior basketball player. "They pay for the scholarships that make it possible for us to be here, so it is the least we can do."

National Student-Athlete Day honors student athletes and the network of parents, coaches, teachers and school systems that make it possible for young people to strike a balance between academic and athletic achievement.

Established by the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS) and the Northeastern Center for the Study of Sports in Society and co-sponsored by the NCAA, the day has grown to honor more than 2,233,692 athletes since 1997.

"This day is a powerful opportunity to promote those who have become leaders and have gone above and beyond what is expected," says Dr. Richard Lapchick, founder and Executive Director of the NCAS.

"It has truly become America's day to honor student-athletes."