University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Akinniyi and Ramos Earn C-USA All-Academic First Team Honors
11/1/2018 1:22:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Senior Defender Ola Akinniyi and Sophomore Midfielder JoAnnie Ramos Boast 3.7 and 4.0 GPA’s Respectively
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Conference USA announced on Thursday afternoon that Southern Miss senior defender Ola Akinniyi and sophomore midfielder JoAnnie Ramos were named to the Women's Soccer InTouch Credit Union All-Academic First Team.
Akinniyi, a native of Denton, Texas, currently boasts a cumulative GPA of 3.7 in her major of architectural engineering.
Over the course of her four years at Southern Miss, Akinniyi has garnered many academic honors. She has been named to the Dean's list (reserved for students with a 3.5 GPA) every semester from the Fall of 2015-Spring of 2018. In 2017 and 2016, Akinniyi was named to the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll and she was also a recipient of the prestigious Conference USA Commissioner's Academic Medal in 2016. In addition, she was a CoSIDA Division I Academic All-District 6 selection in 2017.
In the Spring of 2018, Akinniyi was inducted into the Sigma Lambda Chi International Construction Honor Society. She is a recipient of the Yates Construction Scholarship (awarded to engineering students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher). Akinniyi currently serves as a liaison for the Southern Miss Student Constructors Organization and she is a member of Design Build Students of America.
On the campus of Southern Miss, Akinniyi is heavily involved with various organizations. She is a member of the Southern Miss Leadership Academy. Each year, 11 Southern Miss student athletes are selected to represent the athletic department and through the Leadership Academy, they develop valuable life skills that will translate off of the playing field and help them transition into leadership roles in both the workforce and the community. Akinniyi also serves as the historian for the African Caribbean Society, is a member of FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), and she serves as parliamentary for Southern Miss SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee).
The classroom isn't the only place that Akinniyi excels, when she graduates, she will go leave her mark as one of the best to ever suit up in the Black & Gold on the pitch.
On Tuesday, Akinniyi became the first player in the history of the Southern Miss women's soccer program to be named a two-time C-USA All-Conference First Team selection. In 2017, she led the team in goals scored (7) as a defender. Akinniyi was voted team captain for the 2018 season and she leads a Southern Miss defense that set a new single-season school record of 10 shutouts this season.
Akinniyi has started all 18 of the Golden Eagles' matches this season, totaling 1,515 minutes of playing time. As a defender, she has scored one goal, notched one assist and tallied a total of three points on the season.
Southern Miss head women's soccer coach Mohammed El-Zare on Akinniyi's All-Academic First-Team selection
"Ever since I have known Ola, she has always been a soft spoken individual. She had a clear understanding of what she wanted to accomplish at a young age. Anytime you see that in a young person, you know that you have a leader. She has an incredible work ethic, embodies a selfless nature, is resilient, committed, and she does everything with purpose. All of those traits that she possesses, allow her to excel both academically and athletically. I am very proud of her for all that she has accomplished and I know that she will continue to do great things in the future."
Ramos, a sophomore midfielder from Katy, Texas is currently sporting an unblemished 4.0 GPA in her major of nursing, one of the most prestigious academic programs on the campus of Southern Miss.
Ramos was named to the President's List (reserved for students with a 4.0 GPA) in the Fall of 2017 and the Spring of 2018.
Like Akinniyi, Ramos was one of the 11 Southern Miss student athletes chosen to represent the Southern Miss athletic department as a member of the Southern Miss Leadership Academy.
Ramos currently serves as the secretary of Southern Miss SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) and she is a part of the Southern Miss SGA (Student Government Association) Election Commission.
She is also an active member of the both FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) and CSA (Southern Miss Catholic Student Association).
Ramos excels on the field as well. Her play in the midfield has helped lead the Golden Eagles to their winningest season in program history. After defeating UAB in the quarterfinals of the C-USA Women's Soccer Tournament, Southern Miss registered their 12th victory of the season, a feat that no Southern Miss women's soccer team had ever accomplished prior to Wednesday.
Ramos' talent on the field has been recognized on a national level as well. Prior to the beginning of the 2017 season she was selected as one of the 20 members to represent her native Puerto Rico in the initial phase of CONCACAF Caribbean qualifying for the FIFA U-20 women's World Cup in France in 2018.
Ramos has started all 18 of Southern Miss' matches this season, logging a total of 1,495 minutes played. Ramos has recorded three goals, three assists, and nine points during the 2018 season.
Coach El-Zare on Ramos earning C-USA All-Academic First Team honors
"Jo is a kid that has an incredible work ethic, has purpose in everything that she does, is resilient, committed, embodies a selfless nature, and she has grown as a leader. Every decision that she makes has a positive purpose. She is very understanding, has an open mind, and she is always willing to learn and adapt. She is deliberate in the steps that she takes both on and off of the field. She is a very wise and mature young lady and she has her priorities straight in terms of balancing her school work and athletics and it shows both on and off of the field. I am very proud of her for earning this award and I look forward to what she will do going forward."
2018 InTouch Credit Union Conference USA Women's Soccer All-Academic Team
First Team
Julia Grainda, Charlotte
Megan Greene, Charlotte
Ebba Blomqvist, Florida Atlantic
Alex Maxson, Florida Atlantic
Peyton DePriest, Middle Tennessee
Amber Hoot, Middle Tennessee
Iris Achterhof, Old Dominion
Ola Akinniyi, Southern Miss
JoAnnie Ramos, Southern Miss
Kelsey Daugherty, UAB
Sarah Gorham, WKU
Second Team
Jamie Fankhauser, Charlotte
Ashley Seltzer, Marshall
Carolin Englehard, Middle Tennessee
Sydney Navarro, Middle Tennessee
Dominique James, North Texas
Natalie Presedo, UAB
Carleigh Simmons, UTEP
Michelle Cole, UTSA
Kaylyn Bryant, WKU
Megan Morris, WKU
Nicole Roseland, WKU
Akinniyi, a native of Denton, Texas, currently boasts a cumulative GPA of 3.7 in her major of architectural engineering.
Over the course of her four years at Southern Miss, Akinniyi has garnered many academic honors. She has been named to the Dean's list (reserved for students with a 3.5 GPA) every semester from the Fall of 2015-Spring of 2018. In 2017 and 2016, Akinniyi was named to the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll and she was also a recipient of the prestigious Conference USA Commissioner's Academic Medal in 2016. In addition, she was a CoSIDA Division I Academic All-District 6 selection in 2017.
In the Spring of 2018, Akinniyi was inducted into the Sigma Lambda Chi International Construction Honor Society. She is a recipient of the Yates Construction Scholarship (awarded to engineering students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher). Akinniyi currently serves as a liaison for the Southern Miss Student Constructors Organization and she is a member of Design Build Students of America.
On the campus of Southern Miss, Akinniyi is heavily involved with various organizations. She is a member of the Southern Miss Leadership Academy. Each year, 11 Southern Miss student athletes are selected to represent the athletic department and through the Leadership Academy, they develop valuable life skills that will translate off of the playing field and help them transition into leadership roles in both the workforce and the community. Akinniyi also serves as the historian for the African Caribbean Society, is a member of FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), and she serves as parliamentary for Southern Miss SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee).
The classroom isn't the only place that Akinniyi excels, when she graduates, she will go leave her mark as one of the best to ever suit up in the Black & Gold on the pitch.
On Tuesday, Akinniyi became the first player in the history of the Southern Miss women's soccer program to be named a two-time C-USA All-Conference First Team selection. In 2017, she led the team in goals scored (7) as a defender. Akinniyi was voted team captain for the 2018 season and she leads a Southern Miss defense that set a new single-season school record of 10 shutouts this season.
Akinniyi has started all 18 of the Golden Eagles' matches this season, totaling 1,515 minutes of playing time. As a defender, she has scored one goal, notched one assist and tallied a total of three points on the season.
Southern Miss head women's soccer coach Mohammed El-Zare on Akinniyi's All-Academic First-Team selection
"Ever since I have known Ola, she has always been a soft spoken individual. She had a clear understanding of what she wanted to accomplish at a young age. Anytime you see that in a young person, you know that you have a leader. She has an incredible work ethic, embodies a selfless nature, is resilient, committed, and she does everything with purpose. All of those traits that she possesses, allow her to excel both academically and athletically. I am very proud of her for all that she has accomplished and I know that she will continue to do great things in the future."
Ramos, a sophomore midfielder from Katy, Texas is currently sporting an unblemished 4.0 GPA in her major of nursing, one of the most prestigious academic programs on the campus of Southern Miss.
Ramos was named to the President's List (reserved for students with a 4.0 GPA) in the Fall of 2017 and the Spring of 2018.
Like Akinniyi, Ramos was one of the 11 Southern Miss student athletes chosen to represent the Southern Miss athletic department as a member of the Southern Miss Leadership Academy.
Ramos currently serves as the secretary of Southern Miss SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) and she is a part of the Southern Miss SGA (Student Government Association) Election Commission.
She is also an active member of the both FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) and CSA (Southern Miss Catholic Student Association).
Ramos excels on the field as well. Her play in the midfield has helped lead the Golden Eagles to their winningest season in program history. After defeating UAB in the quarterfinals of the C-USA Women's Soccer Tournament, Southern Miss registered their 12th victory of the season, a feat that no Southern Miss women's soccer team had ever accomplished prior to Wednesday.
Ramos' talent on the field has been recognized on a national level as well. Prior to the beginning of the 2017 season she was selected as one of the 20 members to represent her native Puerto Rico in the initial phase of CONCACAF Caribbean qualifying for the FIFA U-20 women's World Cup in France in 2018.
Ramos has started all 18 of Southern Miss' matches this season, logging a total of 1,495 minutes played. Ramos has recorded three goals, three assists, and nine points during the 2018 season.
Coach El-Zare on Ramos earning C-USA All-Academic First Team honors
"Jo is a kid that has an incredible work ethic, has purpose in everything that she does, is resilient, committed, embodies a selfless nature, and she has grown as a leader. Every decision that she makes has a positive purpose. She is very understanding, has an open mind, and she is always willing to learn and adapt. She is deliberate in the steps that she takes both on and off of the field. She is a very wise and mature young lady and she has her priorities straight in terms of balancing her school work and athletics and it shows both on and off of the field. I am very proud of her for earning this award and I look forward to what she will do going forward."
2018 InTouch Credit Union Conference USA Women's Soccer All-Academic Team
First Team
Julia Grainda, Charlotte
Megan Greene, Charlotte
Ebba Blomqvist, Florida Atlantic
Alex Maxson, Florida Atlantic
Peyton DePriest, Middle Tennessee
Amber Hoot, Middle Tennessee
Iris Achterhof, Old Dominion
Ola Akinniyi, Southern Miss
JoAnnie Ramos, Southern Miss
Kelsey Daugherty, UAB
Sarah Gorham, WKU
Second Team
Jamie Fankhauser, Charlotte
Ashley Seltzer, Marshall
Carolin Englehard, Middle Tennessee
Sydney Navarro, Middle Tennessee
Dominique James, North Texas
Natalie Presedo, UAB
Carleigh Simmons, UTEP
Michelle Cole, UTSA
Kaylyn Bryant, WKU
Megan Morris, WKU
Nicole Roseland, WKU
Players Mentioned
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