AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta University men's track & field placed 15 student-athletes on the 2024-25 Peach Belt Conference Team of Academic Distinction, presented by Barnes & Noble College. The list includes sophomores Gabriel Best, Michael Chatman, Eli Corn, and Michael Meriweather; juniors Roberto Barrera, Joseph Elbert, Andrew Helfers, Noah Shepherd, and Shahzeb Rashid; and seniors Avery Jaynes, Ryan Lee, Brandon Martin, Matthew Moore, Patrick Motes, and Andrew Todd. All were recognized across the league for their academic excellence and contributions in competition.

Best, from Peachtree City, Ga., is an Accounting major with a 3.87 GPA. Chatman holds a 3.90 GPA in Cybersecurity, while Corn, from Dallas, Ga., is majoring in Cell and Molecular Biology with a 3.95 GPA. Meriweather, a Biology major from Augusta, Ga., owns a 3.51 GPA.

Barrera, from Florida Blanca, has a 3.85 GPA in business administration. Elbert, from Dallas, Ga., carries a 3.96 GPA in Cybersecurity. Helfers, a Kinesiology major from Newnan, Ga., holds a 3.59 GPA. Shepherd, from Midland, Ga., owns a 3.89 GPA in Kinesiology, and Rashid, from Hoschton, Ga., is majoring in Cell and Molecular Biology with a 3.82 GPA.

Jaynes, a Sport Management major from Brooklet, Ga., and Lee, a Cell and Molecular Biology major from Lilburn, Ga., both maintain a perfect 4.00 GPA. Martin, from Commerce, Ga., is majoring in Biology with a 3.64 GPA. Moore, from Newnan, Ga., holds a 4.00 GPA in Cybersecurity, while Motes, from Rome, Ga., carries a 4.00 GPA in Communication. Todd, a Kinesiology major from Lilburn, Ga., also holds a 4.00 GPA.

To be eligible for the PBC Team of Academic Distinction, student-athletes must compete in at least half of their team's contests as a starter or significant contributor, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher, and have completed at least one academic year at their current institution with sophomore athletic eligibility. The program is overseen by the league's sports information directors and celebrates excellence in both the classroom and competition.

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