DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia softball and baseball programs had a total of 10 selections named to their respective Peach Belt Conference Team of Academic Distinction Friday morning. 

To be eligible for the team, a student-athlete must 1) participate in at least half of his/her team's events and be either a starter or significant contributor; 2) achieved a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) and 3) completed at least one full academic year at his or her current institution and has reached sophomore athletic eligibility. The Peach Belt Conference Sports Information Directors oversee the program.

For the softball program, sophomores Sydney Blair, Marycille Brumby and Katie Ward were joined by redshirt freshman Tagen Levao-Maisonet along with seniors Gracie Mixson and Tybee Denton on this year's team. 

Blair, a second-year student-athlete majoring in Sociology, earns the first selection of her career to the conference Team of Academic Distinction. Last year, Blair was honored for her efforts in the classroom as a PBC Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar. 

Brumby, a Cedartown, Ga. native, follows suit with Blair as this marks her first selection to the Team of Academic Distinction. Brumby was also a PBC Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar last year. She is studying Kinesiology and Pre-Teacher Education at UNG. 

Ward also earns her first spot on the Team of Academic Distinction. Last year, the sophomore was selected as a PBC Presidential Honor Roll Silver Scholar. On the field this season, Ward displayed a powerful bat and strong fielding at second base en route to a selection on the 2024 PBC All-Conference Second Team, the first conference postseason honor of her career. 

Levao-Maisonet, who transferred to UNG from Charleston last year, quickly made an impact both in the field and classroom for the Nighthawks. Majoring in General Studies and Exercise Science, Levao-Maisonet's selection on the Team of Academic Distinction is the first of her young tenure. 

Mixson, who graduated from UNG in May with a degree in Kinesiology and Health & Fitness, finishes her career by no surprise with another academic accolade. She's now a three time PBC Team of Academic Distinction selection, along with being a two-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-American Scholar Athlete and PBC Presidential Honor Roll Silver Scholar. 

Not only did Mixson display dedication in the classroom, she was the embodiment of the word on the field. Over four years, Mixson played in 249 games, starting 247 of them. She ended her playing career with the fourth-most games played among all active NCAA Div. II players. 

Denton also finishes her decorated career with yet another academic accolade. Along with her seemingly endless on-the-field accomplishments, Denton is now a three-time PBC Team of Academic Distinction member, a two-time PBC Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar and a 2020-21 NFCA All-American Scholar Athlete.

In the 2024 season, she was a four-time PBC Pitcher of the Week along with being named to the PBC All-Conference First Team. She had over 200 strikeouts last season, surpassing 500 for her career. Denton's work in the circle led her to being named the 2024 PBC and D2CCA Southeast Region Pitcher of the Year. She also earned spots on both the NFCA and D2CCA All-Region and All-American teams. 

On the baseball team, senior Jacob Lassiat was joined by junior Jorge Arispuro and sophomore Andrews Opata on this year's team. 

For Lassiat, he has already developed a storied career of academic accolades. In May, Lassiat graduated from UNG with a degree in Marketing. He's a three-time member of the PBC Team of Academic Distinction and a three-time PBC Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar. Last year, Lassiat also earned the 2023 D2ADA Academic Achievement Award. Perhaps the most outstanding feather in Lassiat's cap is the fact he's a three-time winner of the PBC Elite 18 Award. The award is given every year to the player with the highest grade point average among all competing players in the conference tournament/championship that season. Lassiat won the award in each of his last three years with UNG. 

For Arispuro, this comes as his second such selection on the Team of Academic Distinction. He is also a D2ADA Academic Achievement Award winner and was named a PBC Presidential Honor Roll Bronze Scholar last season. The Finance major played in 32 games for the Nighthawks this season while pounding a .282 batting average and five home runs.

Opata has earned his first selection to the Team of Academic Distinction. He was a PBC Presidential Honor Roll Silver Scholar last season. The Lawrenceville, Ga. native shined both in the classroom and on the field for UNG this year. In 51 games, Opata hit .306 at the plate with five home runs, 35 RBI and a team-high 24 stolen bases. 

With the nine selections to the baseball and softball teams from Friday, UNG ends the 2023-24 academic year with a whopping 66 student-athletes named to the PBC Team of Academic Distinction.