NEW ORLEANS – The Sun Belt Conference announced today the seven student-athletes selected to receive 2019 Sun Belt Conference Postgraduate Scholarships. Included in that list is Georgia Southern senior football player Lane Ecton, who earned the top male postgraduate award.
 
Georgia State's Nuria Ramirez (Women's Track & Field) and Ecton (Football) earn top honors and each will receive a $6,500 scholarship. Appalachian State's Madi Story (Women's Basketball), Georgia State's Gabe Mobley (Football), Louisiana's Jackson Ladner (Football), South Alabama's Gavin Patterson (Football) and Alexandria Stiteler (Women's Tennis) each will receive a $3,000 scholarship. Ramirez and Ecton will be recognized at the Sun Belt honors reception in October in conjunction with the conference's fall meeting.
 
The scholarships are awarded to selected student-athletes with stated intentions to pursue a graduate degree following completion of their undergraduate requirements and are sent directly to the graduate school of each recipient's choice. The recipients are selected by the Sun Belt Postgraduate Scholarship Committee, which is comprised of Faculty Athletic Representatives from across the conference.
 
"These student-athletes truly exemplify the essence of excelling as students and as athletes. We are proud of their accomplishments as Sun Belt student-athletes and excited to support their continuing efforts to strive for greatness in their post-undergraduate lives," said Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill.
 
TOP FEMALE POSTGRADUATE AWARD WINNER
Nuria Ramirez, Georgia State
Nuria Ramirez graduated summa cum laude in December with a Bachelor's degree in biology with a 3.84 grade point average. Ramirez is set to begin pursuing her Master's degree in biology at Georgia State this fall with the goal of obtaining a Doctorate degree. A first generation college student and student-athlete, the Palma, Spain, native was the first Panther to serve as a Sun Belt Ambassador.
 
The 800-meter champion at the 2016 Sun Belt Indoor Track & Field Championships earned first-place finishes in seven competitions over her four-year career. As a senior in 2018-19, Ramirez recorded personal best times in the 5K (18:23.1) at the Little Rock Cross Country Invitational and the 400 meters (57.63) at the Torrin Lawrence Memorial during the outdoor season. At the Sun Belt Indoor Track & Field Championships, she collected six points for Georgia State with a third-place finish in the 800 meters.
 
TOP MALE POSTGRADUATE AWARD WINNER
Lane Ecton, Georgia Southern
Lane Ecton graduated magna cum laude this fall with a Bachelor's degree in sport management, boasting a perfect 4.0 GPA. The three-time member of the Sun Belt Commissioner's List and two-time member of the Georgia Southern President's List is currently pursuing his Master's degree in sport management at Georgia Southern.
 
In the community, Ecton volunteered his time at Broken Shackle Ranch at 7th Mile Farm, Habitat for Humanity and the Boy's and Girl's Club.
 
On the gridiron, Ecton played in all 13 games as a junior, starting one at linebacker. He was on the field for 460 total plays (357 defense, 103 special teams) and recorded 35 tackles with 3.5 for loss to go along with one sack, one interception, one fumble recovery and one shared safety.
 
$3,000 POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD RECIPIENTS
Madi Story, Appalachian State (Women's Basketball)
Madi Story was active in the community while also excelling in the classroom. Story graduated in May with a Bachelor's degree in communication disorders, sporting a 3.96 GPA. The Maiden, N.C., native is slated to begin pursing her Master's degree in the speech-language pathology program at Appalachian State beginning this fall.
 
Story finished her career as one of the most decorated players in school history. She closed time on the hardwood ranked ninth in school history in scoring (1,294 points), sixth in free throws made (317) and 19th in rebounding (564). This past season, the three-year team captain led the Mountaineers in scoring at 12.3 points per game and was second in rebounding at 4.7 boards per game and plus/minus (+106). Her stellar final season on the hardwood helped guide Appalachian State to the 2019 Women's Basketball Invitational title.
 
Gabe Mobley, Georgia State (Football)
Gabe Mobley earned his Bachelor's degree in history in three years with a 3.77 GPA. He played his final two seasons while also working on his Juris Doctor degree in the Georgia State College of Law program.
 
Mobley was a four-year starter on the offensive line, making 41 career starts (25 at center, 15 at right guard and one at left guard). As a senior in 2018, he started five games at right guard before moving to left guard for the first time in his career in the season finale. During his junior season, the Moultrie, Ga., native earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors and received the D1 FAR Academic Excellence Award.
 
Jackson Ladner, Louisiana (Football)
Jackson Ladner graduated in December with a Bachelor's degree in kinesiology with a 3.80 GPA. The New Orleans native is returning to his hometown to continue his education at the LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans with the goal of becoming a physical therapist.
 
Ladner appeared 14 games as a senior and 12 games as a junior, serving as the long snapper on the punt, field goal and PAT units. He joined the team as a walk-on during spring practice prior to the 2016 season.
 
Gavin Patterson, South Alabama (Football)
Gavin Patterson graduated in May with a Bachelor's degree in exercise science with a 3.98 GPA. He is set to further his education in pursuit of a doctorate degree in physical therapy at the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science.
 
The 2018 William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist was a six-time member of the South Alabama President's List and a three-time member of the Sun Belt Commissioner's List.
 
Patterson closed his career as the school's all-time leader in extra points with 99. Patterson ranks second in school history in field goals (35), points (204) and PAT percentage (.952, 99-of-104) and fourth in school history in field goal percentage (.729, 35-of-48).
 
Alexandria Stiteler, South Alabama (Women's Tennis)
Alexandria Stiteler graduated in May with a Bachelor's degree in biology with a 3.63 GPA. She has been accepted into the St. John's University Law School in New York and has the goal of obtaining her Juris Doctor degree.
 
Stiteler put together an impressive career that concluded with posting the most dual match wins at No. 1 singles (65) and No. 2 doubles (43) in school history. She posted 81 overall singles wins, which ranks third in school history. The Bradenton, Fla., native clinched the 2019 Sun Belt Tournament title and a trip to the NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championship with her league-leading 16th victory at No. 1 singles. The 2016 and 2017 Sun Belt Player of the Year was named the conference's Women's Tennis Athlete of the Week 11 times in her four-year career.
 
Off the court, Stiteler was active in the community and a member of the school's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.