November Student Athlete Ben Hazel 6'4" SG

The November Student Athlete Of The Month presented by www.pony.com , goes to none other than Ben Hazel of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Wheaton , MD. The 6'4" SG has committed himself to excellence both in the classroom and on the hardwood.

Ben recently scored a 4.0gpa in the first quarter of his Junior year in high school raising his core GPA to an astounding 3.93 overall. Hazel's list of classes showcase a lineup compiled of Honors and Advanced Placement courses which include Honors Pre-Calculus , AP Chemistry , AP Micro-Economics , AP Spanish and Honors English. With aspirations of becoming a future Venture Capitalist or an Investment Banker , Hazel is taking the necessary steps required.    

For Ben his determination in the classroom translates to hard work on the basketball court. Hazel made the Varsity team in his freshman year and has been a two time starter in the very tough WCAC conference. Ben played on an AAU team that went 50-3 over the course of the summer , DC Assault 16&U Gold who also won several regional tournaments along the way. Ben averaged 12.3ppg in the Rock Summer League and is currently #20 in our Class Of 2010 player rankings.

When this hoops and books star isn't in school or working on his game , he is an active member of the NCAA first-team Peer Counseling Group which helps other students cope with life's many obstacles. Ben has spoken at the NFLPA Player Awards on behalf of his grandfather , Hall of Famer John Mackey of the Baltimore Colts. Hazel is also scheduled to speak to the Syracuse Alumni Association in the Fall of 2008 as Mackey's college jersey is retired.

Ben's relentless effort in the classroom and on the hardwood has catapulted himself amongst the elite universities and institutions in the country , interested in his services. Hazel has already taken un-official visits to Stanford , George Washington , Richmond and Howard University. Others such as Penn , Michigan , SMU , Penn St. , Vermont , Lafayette , LaSalle , Mt. St. Mary's , St. Bonaventure , Sienna , Cornell , Yale , Navy and Harvard have also showed strong interest. "I understand what it means to be a student athlete , and I strive to be the best in the classroom and on the field of play" , added Hazel who will visit NC A&T , UNC-Greensboro and NC State this weekend. Hazel is a Good Counsel Falcon , he has soared to phenomenal heights academically and athletically.