BATON ROUGE -- The Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes honored six LSU student-athletes for their academic achievements and community service for the month of November.

Each month, five student-athletes are recognized for their academic improvement, dedication and proven ability. In addition, one student-athlete is chosen through the CHAMPS Challenging Athletes Minds for Personal Success program for their volunteerism and commitment to the community.

November’s Student-Athletes of the Month are Jasmine Nelson [Women’s Basketball], Matty Ott [Baseball], Alex Russian [Football], Stefan Szacinski [Men’s Tennis] and Terrence Toliver [Football]. Summer Hubbard [Gymnastics] was chosen as the Shaquille O'Neal CHAMPS/Life Skills Student-Athlete of the Month.

Russian and Toliver are sports administration majors with concentrations in sports commerce and sports leadership, respectively. Hubbard is majoring in mass communications, while Szacinski is an international trade and finance major.  Information systems and decision sciences is Ott’s major and Nelson is majoring in general studies.

A senior from St. Petersburg, Fla., Hubbard is a two-time first team All-American on uneven bars, and one of the leaders on the gymnastics team looking to guide the Tigers back to the NCAA Super Six for the third-straight season. Hubbard was a strong competitor on three events as she competed on bars, beam and floor last season. She earned a No. 25 national ranking on beam and captured five individual titles - four on beam and one on bars. Hubbard won the bars title with a season-high 9.925 at the NCAA Central Regional to help propel the Tigers to a second-straight regional championship.

Ott, a sophomore pitcher from Chalmette, recorded 16 saves during LSU’s 2009 national championship season en route to a program single-season record. He racked up SEC Co-Freshman of the Year and Baseball America Freshman All-America First-Team accolades. Ott posted a 4-2 record and a 2.68 ERA in 37 appearances and mowed down 69 batters over 50.1 innings.

A sophomore from Round Rock, Texas, Russian has seen action 17 games as LSU’s snapper for both punts and placekicks over the last two seasons after redshirting the 2007 season. He also is a reserve tight end.

Szacinski, a highly anticipated freshman from Adelaide, Australia, has made an immediate impact his first fall with the Tigers. The newcomer reached the finals of the B bracket at the Rice Invitational, and earned a quarterfinal appearance at the ITA Southern Regional with doubles partner Neal Skupski. 
 
A junior wide receiver from Hempstead, Texas, Toliver paces the Tigers with 38 receptions and 501 yards. He has hauled in a trio of touchdowns, including a pair of scores in the season-opener at Washington. Toliver posted a season-best nine catches for 86 yards and a touchdown in LSU’s 31-10 win over Auburn. 

For putting forth extra effort in the classroom and community in addition to their rigorous academic and competition schedules, these six student-athletes will have their pictures displayed on the wall in the CCACSA.