Quakers' First Baseman Earns Second Straight ODAC/Farm Bureau Honor

FOREST, Va. --- Guilford College first baseman John Macon Smith is one of 11 student-athletes from Old Dominion Athletic Conference member schools to earn a 2014 ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Award during the spring athletic schedule.  Smith, who earned the award in 2013 as well, was tabbed from a pool of nominees by a vote of each of the conference's sports information directors.

The ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar Athlete Award is given to a student-athlete in each of the conference's 23 sponsored sports.  Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance is the presenter of each of the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Awards, forming a partnership with the ODAC to emphasize the NCAA Division III philosophy of the complete student-athlete experience.  To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore standing and have spent at least one full academic year at the nominating institution, must maintain at least a 3.2 cumulative grade point average, and must have participated in at least 50-percent of the team's events as a starter or key contributor.

Smith, a senior from Greensboro, N.C., put together a stellar senior season on and off the field.  In the classroom, the accounting major graduated with a 3.83 grade point average on the way to earning Capital One Division III Academic All-America honors in addition to the ODAC's Harry G. "Doc" Jopson Award as the conference's top male scholar-athlete.  Smith will intern at McGladrey LLP this summer prior to pursuing a Master's Degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

On the field, Smith picked up his second straight All-ODAC First Team nod in addition to being named an ABCA Third Team All-American.  He led the ODAC in both batting average (.459) and on-base percentage (.531), while finishing in the top-five in several other categories including runs (44-5th), hits (68-4th), triples (4-3rd), runs batted in (40-4th), total bases (102-3rd) and slugging percentage (.689-3rd).  He enjoyed several moderate hitting streaks this season, including a 14-game run that included an effort where he hit safely in 18 of his final 20 games played.  Through games of May 27, Smith ranked seventh among NCAA Division III batting average leaders, ninth in on-base percentage, 28th in slugging percentage, 33rd in runs per game, and 45th in hits. He totaled a team-high 23 multiple-hit contests, 10 multiple-RBI games and reached base at least once in all 38 games played.

"We are proud of the accomplishments of every one of our student-athletes," says ODAC commissioner Brad Bankston. "It is especially gratifying to be able to recognize those who personify the definition of ‘student-athlete' through these awards, and we are proud to be affiliated with Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance in this program."

For more information about the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete Awards, visit the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.