July 24, 2009
Six George Mason University student-athletes were recognized for their performance in the classroom as well as in athletic competition, as the 2008-09 Academic All-State Team was released by the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association. The six Patriots were a part of the 213 total student-athletes at Virginia colleges and universities which comprised the list.
Mason's six honorees were: junior Becky Anderson, an Oakton, Va., native and pitcher on the softball team majoring in accounting; junior Steven Benecki, a Fairfax, Va., native and freestyle swimmer majoring in accounting; senior Maggie Bridges, a senior defender from Fairfax on the lacrosse team who earned her degree in biology; junior Richard Edgar, a midfielder on the men's soccer team from Mechanicsville, Md., who is majoring in psychology; junior Rashauna Hobbs, a Bowie, Md., native and guard on the women's basketball team majoring in management; and redshirt senior Jessica Paris, a Clifton, Va., product and defender on the women's soccer team who graduated with a degree in civil engineering.
Each Virginia institution, including NCAA Division I, II, and III, NAIA, and independents, had the opportunity to submit athletes to be honored. To be eligible, student-athletes were required to have a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or better.
The student must have achieved sophomore status, and he or she could not have been in the first season of competition at their current school. All athletes are either starters or key reserves for their team.
2008-09 VaSID Academic All-State Team - Selections from George Mason
Name, Sport, Year, Position/Event, Hometown, Major, GPA
Becky Anderson, Softball, Jr., Pitcher, Oakton, Va., Accounting, 3.62
Steven Benecki, Men's Swimming/Diving, Jr., Freestyle, Fairfax, Va., Accounting, 3.87
Maggie Bridges, Lacrosse, Sr., Defense, Fairfax, Va., Biology, 3.92
Richard Edgar, Men's Soccer, Jr., Midfield, Mechanicsville, Md., Psychology, 3.96
Rashauna Hobbs, Women's Basketball, Jr., Guard, Bowie, Md., Management, 3.26
Jessica Paris, Women's Soccer, R-Sr., Defense, Clifton, Va., Civil Engineering, 4.0
