VUU scholar athletes

Willard Bailey has been coaching college football for 29 years. Never, he said, during his long, illustrious career has he had as many players to make the dean’s list as he had this past fall.

Eighteen members of the Virginia Union football team secured the 3.0 or better grade point average (GPA) needed to make the university’s dean’s list. What makes the players’ accomplishment even more impressive, Bailey said, is the fact that they were able to achieve academic excellence during the semester football season is in full swing. He couldn’t be more proud.

“We have come to grips with the fact that the most important objective of the entire program is that the kids leave with a degree,” Bailey said during a recent phone conversation. “Most of the guys have adjusted to the regimen 100 percent and we’re seeing good results. I’m as happy as I can be.”

Leading the list of scholar-athletes is quarterback Jasun Thompson. The senior from Fayetteville, N.C., who is a fixture on VUU’s dean’s list, managed the highest GPA — a 3.8 in business administration.

Thompson was one of five CIAA athletes named to the Scholar-Athlete team by Colgate-Palmolive and Urban Sports and Entertainment Group. The winners were honored at a dinner held last month in Atlanta.

Colgate-Palmolive donated $4,000 to the athletic scholarship fund at Virginia Union on Thompson’s behalf.

The other scholar-athletes, including their major and their GPA, are: Criminal justice — Craig Boyce, 3.78; Cedet Francois, 3.16; Ralph “Pete” Hunter, 3.0; Alfred Dubose, 3.0; Phillipe Tabron, 3.35; Robchel Williams, 3.4; and, Chris Maxey, 3.17. Business management/information systems — Antoine Lynch, 3.2; Dosie McBride, 3.1; Chris Meekins, 3.44; and, Ajani Ruffin, 3.12. Business administration — Barry Harris, 3.66; and, Lowell Thomas, 3.0. Art — John Moore, 3.0; and, Jamalla Wiggins, 3.0. Secondary education — Marcus Parrott, 3.75. Chemistry/engineering — Phillip Pitts, 3.14.