Mars Hill’s Jackson, Retallick Named SAC Scholar Athletes for Cross Country

ROCK HILL, SC --Mars Hill College senior James Benjamin "Ben" Jackson III, a two-time all-conference runner, and Mars Hill junior Rachel Retallick, an All-Conference runner and Academic All-American, were selected as the 2003 South Atlantic Conference Scholar Athletes for men's and women's cross country.

Ben Jackson of Mars Hill, center, receives his award after being named Scholar Athlete for men's cross country, from Steve Poston, Vice President for Student Affairs at Wingate, left, and SAC Commissioner Doug Echols during Friday night's cross country awards banquet.


Rachel Retallick of Mars Hill receives her award from SAC Commissioner Doug Echols after being named the Scholar Athlete Award for women's cross country during Friday night's awards banquet.

The two received their awards Friday night at the Cross Country Awards Banquet on the campus of Wingate University, where the 2003 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Cross Country Championships will take place on Saturday morning.

Jackson, who received the award for the second year in a row, is a two-time second-team All-Conference runner, who has helped the Lions to conference championships for the past three years. He is also a member of the school's record holding distance medley relay team in indoor track. As a freshman, he collapsed due to heat exhaustion in his first college race and had to take a month off. But he came back to earn All-Conference honors.

Jackson is a senior with a double major in biology and chemistry with a minor in mathematics, and carries a 3.74 GPA. He is a Grayson, Ford and Corpening Scholar at Mars Hill, a member of the Dean's List, the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll and the National Dean's List. He is a two-time Academic All-American in cross country.

Ben is also a leader on the Mars Hill campus and in the community. He has served as Freshman Class President, student body vice president, and currently is Senior class president. He serves on the Faculty Plans and Policy Committee and is the student ambassador committee vice president of campus relations.

Ben aspires to be a surgeon, and has worked and volunteered more than 1,200 hours at Lexington Medical Center and Mission St. Josephs Hospital in Asheville.

He is an active member of Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church and has participated in four mission trips.

Retallick is in her second season as a runner, but has already achieved junior status academically, where she carries a 3.92 GPA as a biology and pre-med major.

She was a second team all-conference runner last year as a freshman, as well as making the all-region team and competed in the national championship meet. She was also named an Academic All-American. This year, she has been a major factor in Mars Hill's first place ranking in the Southeast Region.

Rachel carries her impressive GPA in a demanding study, with her goal to be a sports medicine doctor. She is a Grayson Scholar, the highest honor possible at Mars Hill. She has been on the Dean's List every semester, and has earned all A's with only one B since the sixth grade.

Rachel is an active participant in both the community and church. She volunteers with Mountain Hopes, a therapeutic equestrian center for handicapped children, as well as Habitat for Humanity. She also volunteers one day a week at St. Mission Joesophs Hospital, as well as working with high school students with learning disabilities.

The South Atlantic Conference Scholar Athlete Award is presented to one athlete from each of the conference's 14 sport programs and represents a combination of athletic skill, academic achievement and participation in community service and leadership.