CRONS Achiever Award Nominees for February 2012

Crons sponsors the monthly "Achiever Award," which is presented to the school recognized by a fan vote for the most notable achievement from the month prior. Below are the descriptions of each submission, along with the poll in the right-hand sidebar.

Parker Smith, North Florida Men’s Basketball

• Smith averaged 21.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game while shooting 45 percent from the floor, 45 percent from three-point line and 89 percent at the free throw line and helping North Florida basketball team to a school record 16 wins (10 in A-Sun play).

• Earned a pair of A-Sun Player of the Week honors during the month

• Scored double-digit in all seven games including three with 20+

• Scored a UNF record and matched an A-Sun conference game record with 46 points and 11 three-pointers in a game. (That total was also the second most points in an NCAA DI game this year and most three-pointers made in a DI game this year)…

• Earned second-team All-A-Sun honors (just third player in UNF history)

• League’s top scorer (17.0 ppg) in conference play as well as top three-point shooter (3.6 per game) and FT% (80.6)

• Finished with UNF season record of 96 made three-pointers.

Gilbert Kemboi, USC Upstate Men’s Track and Field

• Named the 2012 A-Sun Indoor Track Athlete of the Year Feb. 18 after winning conference titles in both the 5,000-meter and 3,000-meter events.

• Broke his own A-Sun Indoor meet record in the 5,000-meter with a time of 14:41.56, becoming only the third student-athlete in conference history to be a three-time event winner.

• Posted a winning time of 8:25.63 in the 3,000-meter.

• Set a school record in the 3,000-meter at Clemson’s Tiger Paw Invitational Feb. 12, crossing the line in 8:20.36.

Destiny Mitchell, ETSU Women’s Basketball

• Atlantic Sun All-Conference Team member

• Averaged a double-double for the month – 15.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, also 2.2 steals and 59 percent (58-99) shooting from the field in nine games

• Shot 12-of-15 from the field en route to scoring a career-high 30 points vs. Mercer, including 11 consecutive field goals in the second half

• Recorded one of her six double-doubles for the month with a 15-point (6-of-6 shooting), 10-rebound game at Kennesaw State

• Enjoyed three consecutive double-doubles as she averaged 16.3 points and 10.0 rebounds, while shooting 66 percent (21-32) from the field in games against Kennesaw, Jacksonville, and North Florida

• Recorded three straight double-doubles to close out the final three games of the regular season, (at Belmont, 15 points/12 rebounds), (vs. Stetson, 10 points/career-high tying 14 rebounds), (vs. ETSU, 23 points/20 rebounds)

• Posted the A-Sun’s first 20/20 game since fellow Lady Buccaneer standout and two-time A-Sun Player of the Year, Siarre Evans, accomplished the feat back in January of 2010.

Kerron Johnson, Belmont Men’s Basketball

• Led Belmont to a second consecutive Atlantic Sun Tournament championship

• Earned Tournament MVP honors

• Recorded his second career double-double in the championship game against FGCU (14 points, 11 rebounds and five assists)

• First Team All-Atlantic Sun, Johnson has been an instrumental part of Belmont 57 victories over the past two seasons.

McKenzie Woody, Mercer Softball

Woody got off to an incredible start in the first month of the season for the Bears.

• Through the first 15 games she posted a .436 batting average with 24 total hits – both were team highs.

• As the Bears’ leadoff batter she also recorded a .483 on base percentage and 13 stolen bases.

• As a major contributor to the Bears’ offense, Woody’s skills led to her scoring a team-high 13 runs in the month of February.

Whitney Kiihnl, Lipscomb Softball

• Went 7-2 with an ERA of 1.30 in 10 appearances for the Lady Bison softball team, striking out 52 and limiting opponents to a .214 batting average.

• Threw six complete games and five shutouts, including a no-hit, 11-strike out performance against Butler (Feb. 18).

• Allowed just 10 earned runs, none of which came in four appearances at the College of Charleston Classic

• A-Sun Pitcher of the Week for Feb. 27 after the College of Charleston Classic.

• Also helped her cause at the plate, hitting .455 in the month of February.

Brandon Bixler, FGCU Baseball

• Bixler pitched 8.2 innings, allowing one-hit against Bryant on Feb. 26

• He also recorded 12 strikeouts at Swanson Stadium in 26 outs.

• The accomplishment marked the fifth one-hitter in program history and just the second in the Division I era.

• Scattered only three walks throughout the contest

• Bixler finished the afternoon with one hit allowed, accounting for the Bulldogs’ lone run in the game. Following a two-out walk and a wild pitch in the ninth, David Soltis stepped to the plate and sent a 3-2 pitch, Bixler’s 136th of the afternoon, into centerfield for the lone hit while bringing in the visitor’s only run from second base. Following Bixler’s departure,the Eagles went on to strike out the final batter swinging to take the 5-1 victory over the Bulldogs.

• A day after his outing, Bixler was named one of Louisville Slugger’s National Players of the Week.

As the Official Motivation and Apparel Brand of the Atlantic Sun Conference, the Crons Brand provides what it calls “high quality motivational apparel, merchandise, and accessories to inspire people to get better and constantly strive for their goals.” It also strives to reinforce positive messages to athletes about what it takes to be a winner and the importance of working harder than anyone else in order to reach their full potential. Crons communicates this message through four separate product categories: Team Gear, Lifestyle Apparel, Nutritional Products, and School Programs. Crons is a national brand with its message-themed and motivational merchandise and apparel already in use by more than 500 schools and organizations in 25 states.

Crons perpetuates its message through its Achievers Program, designed to teach students the importance of setting and achieving goals. The program focuses on fostering skills that will help young people set smart, measurable goals now and in the future – leading to academic, personal and professional success.