Eastern Michigan Athletics
Four Eagles Earn NSCA All-American Honors
5/3/2018 12:10:00 PM | Baseball, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Women's Track & Field, Sports Performance
This is the first time the four recipients have earned the honors
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (EMUEagles.com) - The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) announced four Eastern Michigan University student-athletes earned the distinction of being a 2018 NSCA All-American Athlete Award recipient. The award recognized women's track and field senior Jasmine Jones (Greensburg, Pa.-Hempfiled Area), baseball sophomore Zachary Owings (Saline, Mich.-Saline), women's basketball redshirt junior Danielle Minott (Miami, Fla.-Miami Country Day), and men's basketball junior James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist).
Nominated by EMU Associate Sports Performance Coach, Aaron Short, and Assistant Sports Performance Coach, Sean Conaty, the four athletes' determination to improve in athletics while maintaining academic prominence is a great model for all student-athletes at EMU.
"We are proud to have coach Short and coach Conaty join the NSCA to ensure athlete safety and improve athletic performance," says Coach Scott Caulfield, the NSCA's Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, "Supporting NSCA-certified coaches and student-athletes like Jones, Owings, Minott, and Thompson IV is the foundation the NSCA is built on."
The NSCA All-American Strength and Conditioning Athletes of the Year program recognizes those collegiate and high school athletes, whose athletic accomplishments, in the opinion of their strength coach, reflect their dedication to strength training and conditioning. These athletes are also recognized for their academic and personal accomplishments and their integrity as student-athletes.
The 2018 campaign has been another exceptional year for Jones. In the indoor season, the senior captain was named the Mid-American Conference Most Outstanding Track Performer. Additionally, she earned First Team All-MAC honors after winning gold in both the 200 and 400m dashes. Currently, the Greensburg, Pa. native holds the top time in the conference for the 100m (11.62) and 200m (23.50), while also ranking second in the MAC for the 400m (53.96). Moreover, Jones has the program's top time in the 300m (39.17), while also serving as a member of the school's fastest 400m and indoor 1600m relay times.
Owings is in the midst of a breakout sophomore campaign for the EMU baseball team, as he has been at the top of numerous offensive categories for the Green and White in 2018. The primary first and third baseman leads the team in slugging (.485), walks (21), and on-base percentage (.413) while ranking second in batting average (.331), hits (43), runs (23), doubles (10), total bases (63), and steals (11). He has ranked within the top-10 in the MAC in batting average throughout the season, while recording a hit in 26-of-34 games played. He has had two separate 10-game hitting streaks, while also recording a 19-game reached base streak as well.
Minott, a Third Team All-MAC selection, led the Eagles in scoring at 16.1 points per game, the ninth-best in the conference, highlighted by 20 double-digit scoring efforts. A two-time MAC West Division Player of the Week honoree, Minott has also recorded seven 20+ point performances. In addition to her solid scoring, Minott grabbed 5.5 rebounds per game, added 2.4 assists per contest, and 2.3 steals per outing. The Miami, Fla. native dropped a career-best 44 points at Buffalo, Jan. 27, breaking the previous school record held by Tavelyn James. Minott later went on to knock down seven triples against Toledo, Feb. 21, the fifth-most in EMU single-game history. Her 70 percent shooting from long range also tied her for eighth-best in EMU annals as she went 7-of-10 from deep against the Rockets. Currently, Minott ranks seventh in EMU laurels for scoring by a junior with 456 points and 18th overall.
Thompson IV continued his incredible career as an Eagle during the 2017-18 season. The Baton Rouge, La. native collected a number of post-season accolades, including being named All-MAC First Team and NABC All-District 14 First Team, while also earning All-MAC Defensive Team honors. This past season, Thompson IV became just the third player in EMU history to join the 1,000 point and 1,000 rebound club. En route to joining the prestigious club, Thompson IV led the conference in double-doubles (20), rebounds per game (11.2), field goal percentage (67.2), total blocks (67), offensive rebounds per game (4.1), and defensive rebounds per game (7.1), while ranking in the top 10 nationally in field goal percentage (third), offensive rebounds per game (third), rebounds per game (eighth), and double-doubles (eighth). Furthermore, his field goal percentage of 67.2 percent (201-of-299) was the second highest for an Eagle in program history, while his single-season rebound total ranks third and his blocked shots rank sixth.
The NSCA is an international nonprofit educational association founded in 1978. Evolving from a membership of 76, the association now serves nearly 30,000 members in 52 countries. Drawing upon its vast network of members, the NSCA develops and presents the most advanced information regarding strength training and conditioning practices, injury prevention, and research findings.
Unlike any other organization, the NSCA brings together a diverse group of professionals from the sport science, athletic, allied health, and fitness industries. These individuals are all in pursuit of achieving a common goal—the utilization of proper strength training and conditioning to improve athletic performance and fitness.
Central to its mission, the NSCA provides a bridge between the scientist in the laboratory and the practitioner in the field. By working to find practical applications for new research findings in the strength and conditioning field, the association fosters the development of strength training and conditioning as a discipline and as a profession.
Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the NSCA serves as a valuable resource for its members, the fitness industry, general public, and the media. The association provides a wide variety of resources and opportunities designed to strengthen, build, advance, and unify.
Nominated by EMU Associate Sports Performance Coach, Aaron Short, and Assistant Sports Performance Coach, Sean Conaty, the four athletes' determination to improve in athletics while maintaining academic prominence is a great model for all student-athletes at EMU.
"We are proud to have coach Short and coach Conaty join the NSCA to ensure athlete safety and improve athletic performance," says Coach Scott Caulfield, the NSCA's Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, "Supporting NSCA-certified coaches and student-athletes like Jones, Owings, Minott, and Thompson IV is the foundation the NSCA is built on."
The NSCA All-American Strength and Conditioning Athletes of the Year program recognizes those collegiate and high school athletes, whose athletic accomplishments, in the opinion of their strength coach, reflect their dedication to strength training and conditioning. These athletes are also recognized for their academic and personal accomplishments and their integrity as student-athletes.
The 2018 campaign has been another exceptional year for Jones. In the indoor season, the senior captain was named the Mid-American Conference Most Outstanding Track Performer. Additionally, she earned First Team All-MAC honors after winning gold in both the 200 and 400m dashes. Currently, the Greensburg, Pa. native holds the top time in the conference for the 100m (11.62) and 200m (23.50), while also ranking second in the MAC for the 400m (53.96). Moreover, Jones has the program's top time in the 300m (39.17), while also serving as a member of the school's fastest 400m and indoor 1600m relay times.
Owings is in the midst of a breakout sophomore campaign for the EMU baseball team, as he has been at the top of numerous offensive categories for the Green and White in 2018. The primary first and third baseman leads the team in slugging (.485), walks (21), and on-base percentage (.413) while ranking second in batting average (.331), hits (43), runs (23), doubles (10), total bases (63), and steals (11). He has ranked within the top-10 in the MAC in batting average throughout the season, while recording a hit in 26-of-34 games played. He has had two separate 10-game hitting streaks, while also recording a 19-game reached base streak as well.
Minott, a Third Team All-MAC selection, led the Eagles in scoring at 16.1 points per game, the ninth-best in the conference, highlighted by 20 double-digit scoring efforts. A two-time MAC West Division Player of the Week honoree, Minott has also recorded seven 20+ point performances. In addition to her solid scoring, Minott grabbed 5.5 rebounds per game, added 2.4 assists per contest, and 2.3 steals per outing. The Miami, Fla. native dropped a career-best 44 points at Buffalo, Jan. 27, breaking the previous school record held by Tavelyn James. Minott later went on to knock down seven triples against Toledo, Feb. 21, the fifth-most in EMU single-game history. Her 70 percent shooting from long range also tied her for eighth-best in EMU annals as she went 7-of-10 from deep against the Rockets. Currently, Minott ranks seventh in EMU laurels for scoring by a junior with 456 points and 18th overall.
Thompson IV continued his incredible career as an Eagle during the 2017-18 season. The Baton Rouge, La. native collected a number of post-season accolades, including being named All-MAC First Team and NABC All-District 14 First Team, while also earning All-MAC Defensive Team honors. This past season, Thompson IV became just the third player in EMU history to join the 1,000 point and 1,000 rebound club. En route to joining the prestigious club, Thompson IV led the conference in double-doubles (20), rebounds per game (11.2), field goal percentage (67.2), total blocks (67), offensive rebounds per game (4.1), and defensive rebounds per game (7.1), while ranking in the top 10 nationally in field goal percentage (third), offensive rebounds per game (third), rebounds per game (eighth), and double-doubles (eighth). Furthermore, his field goal percentage of 67.2 percent (201-of-299) was the second highest for an Eagle in program history, while his single-season rebound total ranks third and his blocked shots rank sixth.
The NSCA is an international nonprofit educational association founded in 1978. Evolving from a membership of 76, the association now serves nearly 30,000 members in 52 countries. Drawing upon its vast network of members, the NSCA develops and presents the most advanced information regarding strength training and conditioning practices, injury prevention, and research findings.
Unlike any other organization, the NSCA brings together a diverse group of professionals from the sport science, athletic, allied health, and fitness industries. These individuals are all in pursuit of achieving a common goal—the utilization of proper strength training and conditioning to improve athletic performance and fitness.
Central to its mission, the NSCA provides a bridge between the scientist in the laboratory and the practitioner in the field. By working to find practical applications for new research findings in the strength and conditioning field, the association fosters the development of strength training and conditioning as a discipline and as a profession.
Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the NSCA serves as a valuable resource for its members, the fitness industry, general public, and the media. The association provides a wide variety of resources and opportunities designed to strengthen, build, advance, and unify.
Players Mentioned
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