On the cross country course, basketball court, soccer field and track, Brown has been making her impact for the Lady Pirates for four years. Her prowess on the playing fields and high performance in the classroom earned the Lumberton senior The Robesonian/Mountaire Farms Scholar Athlete of the Month honor for March.
The AOTM program’s mission is to highlight male and female senior student-athletes within Robeson County who carry a 3.0 GPA or higher. Nominees need to also be recognized by their coaches for outstanding sportsmanship and perform with superior ability in athletic competition.
For Brown, she sticks to the books-before-ballgames mantra, which has helped her manage a 4.2 weighted GPA while being a four-sport athlete — cross country in the fall, basketball in the winter, and soccer and track and field in the spring. She is also a member of Lumberton High’s Beta Club and National Honor Society.
“I put my school before my sports,” Brown, daughter of James and Joyce, said. “I’m always studying and staying on top of my assignments.”
When she’s wearing her Pirates’ maroon and gold, Brown routinely helps her team stay on top of the competition.
This past winter, Brown helped lead the Lady Pirates basketball team to a first-place finish at the annual Robeson County Shootout with a 67-25 win over St. Pauls. Lumberton ended the season with a 13-13 overall record and a 4-5 Southeastern Conference mark, good enough for third in the league standings.
“I liked playing with those girls,” said Brown, the team’s point guard.
Currently, Brown is juggling her time between classes and two springs sports, soccer and track and field. She is a starting defender on the soccer team and throws the shot put and discus for the track team.
“She’s a very good teammate and garners a great amount of respect with her work ethic and personality,” Lumberton soccer coach Kenny Simmons said. “As a four year varsity soccer player, she anchors the teams defense.”
Meanwhile in track and field, Brown has molded into a state-level thrower. Her best finish was a fourth-place showing in the shot put at the NCHSAA championships as a freshman.
“I’ve been to state every year since I got in high school,” Brown said. “I’ve been doing it (throwing) since I was eight for AAU track and field.”
This last Thursday at a home meet, Brown recorded her farthest shot put throw to date with a 40-foot, 11-inch toss.
“I hope to win state in the shot put. I want to throw 43 (feet) by the end of the year,” Brown said.
Her top-tier throwing and high GPA caught the attention of college coaches.
Brown chose to stay close to home and attend Mount Olive College where she’ll compete on the women’s track and field team. A true multi-sport athlete, Brown is also considering trying out for the basketball team.
To make nominations for The Robesonian/Mountaire Farms Scholar Athlete of the Month, reach sports editor Kaleb Roedel at 910-272-6111 or kroedel@heartlandpublications.com
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