5 from Xavier are chosen Arthur Ashe Sports Scholars

Jodi Chatters

Alexandria Rencher

Javon Mead

Briana Simms

Devinn Rolland

NEW ORLEANS — Five student-athletes from Xavier University of Louisiana — two more than a year ago — have been selected Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars for the 2013-14 academic year.
     
Repeat selections from Xavier are Javon Mead (men's cross country/track and field) and Devinn Rolland (women's track and field). Mead is a three-time selection, and Rolland has been honored twice. Also chosen were women's volleyball players Jodi Chatters and Alexandria Rencher and women's cross country/track athlete Briana Simms.
      
 Diverse Issues in Higher Education, a magazine based in Fairfax, Va., has sponsored the awards since the mid-1990s. Criteria for the awards include being a person of color with a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 through the fall 2012 semester. Honorees must have completed one full academic year at the nominating institution and have a demonstrated record of service to the campus or community.
     
For the second consecutive year, Xavier is the only Louisiana university with an Ashe scholar. XU has five of the six Ashe scholars from NAIA members this year.
      
Mead, a senior from Baton Rouge, La., and a graduate of Baton Rouge Magnet High School, is an accounting major with a 3.67 GPA. He is a three-time All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference cross country runner and has helped the Gold Rush win four GCAC team titles.
      
Mead is the fifth from Xavier to earn the Ashe honor three times. Alexandra Broussard (women's tennis), Jamaan Kenner (men's basketball), Kelechi Okoroha (men's basketball} and Terry Richardson (men's tennis) were the others.
     
Rolland, a junior from Harvey, La., and a graduate of Cabrini High School in New Orleans, is a pharmacy major with a 3.99 GPA. She is a three-time GCAC outdoor champion in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and the long jump. This season she ranks third in the NAIA in the 100 and long jump and is tied for 10th in the 200.
      
 Chatters, a sophomore from Lake Charles, La., and a graduate of St. Louis Catholic High School, is a biology/pre-medical major with a 3.50 GPA. A libero/defensive specialist in volleyball, Chatters recorded 348 digs and 16 aces this past season for Xavier's 26-8 team which won GCAC regular-season and tournament titles and qualified for the NAIA National Championship.
     
Rencher, a junior from Mobile, Ala., and a graduate of Davidson High School, is a computer science major with a 3.37 GPA. She was second on the Gold Nuggets this past season with 361 assists and served a career-best six aces in a home victory against city rival Loyola. Like Chatters, Rencher was part of an XU team which set a school record of 20 consecutive victories in 2013.
     
Simms, a sophomore from Hendersonville, Tenn., and a graduate of Station Camp High School, is a chemistry major with a 3.23 GPA. Simms is a two-time All-GCAC cross country runner, and she was All-GCAC in the 3,000 steeplechase (second place) and 1,500 (third place) at the GCAC track championships earlier this month
.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
https://www.facebook.com/xulagold