WINGATE, N.C. – Graduate forward Jaumonee Byrd (Douglasville, Ga.) has been named as one of 42 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District Men's Basketball selections nationwide, marking the first time in the 27-year history of Clayton State Athletics that any basketball player has been so honored.
 
A graduate transfer from Division III Maryville (Tenn.), Byrd has certainly made the most of his one season in the Orange & Blue. In 24 games and starts he is averaging 12.9 points and 7.0 rebounds and shooting .521 from the field and .700 at the foul line.
 
On the year he has scored in double-figures in 20 games and registered five double-doubles while putting up exactly 20 points on four occasions. One of his most impressive outings came at UNC Pembroke (12/17) where he finished with 15 points and a career-high 14 boards. He also had 20 points and 12 rebounds, seven offensive, at Shaw (11/21).

"Jaumonee is an amazing student-athlete and great teammate," said head coach Jimmy Link. "He has had a great year academically and also athletically. He is extremely hard to guard and has flourished with this team."
 
Byrd has also been a revelation in the classroom as he posted a 4.0 GPA while pursuing his Master's in Business Administration (MBA). He has also been named to the Peach Belt Conference All-Academic Team and now has the opportunity to become just the fourth Academic All-America in school history.
 
This year's six person team includes Keith Griffin (Wingate), Nathan Lemke (Coker), James Stepp (Newberry), Sawyer Williams (Carson-Newman) and C.J. Wilson (Young Harris). Byrd and Wilson are the only Peach Belt Conference players selected for the honor. The native of Douglasville, Georgia is also one of just seven individuals to do so with a perfect 4.0.
 
With his selection to that team, Byrd now becomes the 14^th CoSIDA Academic All-District selection in the history of Clayton State Athletics. Most recently women's soccer graduate midfielder Maria Marti Bartis (Girona, Spain) earned that honor in October of 2016 and became the first multi-time Academic All-America in school history.
 
Of the now 14 total selections in the program's 27-year history, an impressive 10 have come since 2012. That group includes Marti Bartis (2015, 2016), Maia Kuhnen (2015, 2016), Darina Drozdova (2016), Aleksi Tuominen (2015), Ivana Krommelova (2013), Robert Spezzacatena (2012) and Russell Lawless (2012). That five year period also produced the only three Academic All-America selections.
 
The only ones that fall outside that time frame are Gina Papa (1998), Joni Guffey (2002), Nkiru Okosieme (2004) and Steven Sanders (2005).
 
Student-athletes are nominated and selected to the Academic All-District Team by Sports Information Directors who are members of CoSIDA. Each individual must maintain at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA, have been at their current institution for at least one calendar year and be of sophomore standing or higher in order to be nominated.
 
Byrd is immediately eligible after one semester as a graduate transfer who is competing at an institution other than the one where he earned his undergraduate degree.
 
Each selection to the All-District Team is now eligible for Academic All-America consideration. That group, consisting of First-, Second- and Third-Teams will be announced on Wednesday, March 1.
 
ABOUT THE COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA PROGRAM
The 2016-17 CoSIDA Division II Academic All-District Men's Basketball Team, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America, has been released to recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom.
 
To be eligible for Academic All-America consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 20,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.
 
2016-17 CoSIDA Academic Men's Basketball All-District Teams (Division II District 3)
 

Name	School	Yr.	Hometown	GPA	Major
Jaumonee Byrd	Clayton State	Gr.	Douglasville, Ga.	4.00	Master's of Business Administration (MBA)
Keith Griffin	Wingate	Sr.	Concord, N.C.	3.52	Finance
Nathan Lemke	Coker	Jr.	Elliminyt, Australia	3.97	Physical Sciences
James Stepp	Newberry	Jr.	Greensboro, N.C.	3.72	Biology
Sawyer Williams	Carson-Newman	Sr.	Owenton, Ky.	3.37	Biology
C.J. Wilson	Young Harris	Sr.	Conyers, Ga.	3.41	Business & Public Policy

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Clayton State History of Academic All-District Selections (14/12 Individuals)
2016-17 – Jaumonee Byrd (Men's Basketball)
2016 – Maria Marti Bartis (Women's Soccer)%
2016 – Darina Drozdova (At-Large – Women's Cross Country/Track & Field)
2016 – Maia Kuhnen (At-Large – Women's Cross Country/Track & Field)
2015 – Maria Marti Bartis (Women's Soccer)%
2015 - Aleksi Tuominen (Men's Soccer)
2015 – Maia Kuhnen (At-Large – Women's Cross Country/Track & Field)
2013 - Ivana Krommelova (At-Large - Women's Tennis)
2012 – Robert Spezzacatena (At-Large – Men's Cross Country/Track & Field)*
2012 - Russell Lawless (At-Large – Men's Cross Country/Track & Field)
2005 - Steven Sanders (At-Large - Men's Golf)
2004 - Nkiru Okosieme (Women's Soccer)
2002 – Joni Guffey (At-Large – Women's Cross Country/Track & Field)
1998 - Gina Papa (Women's Soccer)
%First-Team Academic All-America (only one in program history – twice)
*Third-Team Academic All-America (first one in program history)