The Chattanooga State Tigers 2017 baseball program was recognized by the American Baseball Coaches Association as one of 200 colleges (at every level) and high school programs earning Team Academic Excellence Awards. The awards recognize teams coached by ABCA members that posted a GPA over 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for the 2016-2017 academic year.
ABCA Executive Director Craig Keilitz says that with so much expected of student athletes, achieving a team GPA of 3.0 or above is a major accomplishment and a testament to the leadership and commitment of member coaches as they develop players into successful individuals both on and off the field.
“We were one of only ten Junior Colleges named nationally overall. No other college was listed from Tennessee or Georgia (in this category) and only three southern junior colleges earned recognition overall,” said Greg Dennis, Tiger Baseball head coach.
“Chattanooga State is proud of the academic achievement of our student athletes on the baseball team and their academic achievement. Balancing academics with sports and other life responsibilities is difficult, and their academic performance is a testament to their hard work and dedication,” said Dr. Rebecca Ashford, Chattanooga State Community College.
The American Baseball Coaches Association has a long tradition of recognizing the achievements of baseball coaches and student-athletes. The ABCA/Rawlings All-America Teams are the nation's oldest, founded in 1949, and the ABCA's awards program also includes the ABCA/Rawlings All-Region Awards, the ABCA/Diamond Regional & National Coaches of the Year and several other major awards such as the ABCA Hall of Fame and the Ethics in Coaching Award.