Each academic year, approximately 200 students compete in intercollegiate athletics at Francis Marion.  Again this year, every sport (14 squads) was represented on the honor roll.

Dr. Thomas N. Dorsel, professor of psychology at FMU and a nationally recognized figure in the area of sport psychology, was the guest speaker for the banquet.  His address was entitled “Sports Psychology: What It Is And What It Can Do For You.”

A university professor for 25 years (at FMU since 1986), his work has been published in numerous publications, and he is the author of “The Complete Golfer: Physical Skill and Mental Toughness” and “Golf: The Thinking Game.”  His work with golfers has brought him special recognition from GOLF Magazine as one of that sport's leading psychologists, and he continues to make regular appearances on ESPN's "Inside the PGA Tour." In 1997, Dorsel was a sport psychology consultant and visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame where he worked with over a dozen of the Fighting Irish athletic teams.

The two newest members of the FMU Athletic Hall of Fame, former All-American golfer Gary Bennett and former standout left-handed pitcher Scotty Keefe, were also recognized at the banquet.

This marks the eighth year FMU has held an academic achievement banquet for its student-athletes.

The following is a list of those student-athletes honored, by sport, with their hometowns:

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