Oct. 3, 2004
Columbia, Mo. - Phil Pitts, Ashley Patten and Lauren Grice are this week's Lathrop & Gage Student-Athletes of the Week. Representing three of Missouri's fall sports, Pitts is a senior member of the Tigers' football team, while Patten is a redshirt sophomore in cross country and Grice is a sophomore on the soccer team. All three individuals have shown exceptional skill on the playing field, hold above a 3.0 grade-point average in their respective majors and contribute significantly to the community.
Defensive lineman Pitts (Jefferson City, Mo.) recorded his first career interception in Missouri's season-opener against Arkansas State, Sept. 5. Running 49 yards down the field, Pitts also brought in his first career touchdown. An education major with a 3.07 grade-point average, Pitts is a current Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) representative which provides a voice for Tiger student-athletes. Each of Missouri's 20 varsity teams/sports has two representatives who meet monthly to receive and provide information to and from the athletic department staff and administrators, and develop leadership skills. Off-campus, Pitts makes regular hospital visits to help ease the pain of those in need.
Patten, an indoor track All-American (800 meters) from Clarkston, Mich., holds a 3.3 grade-point average in business and finished fifth at the Missouri Cross Country Challenge on Sept. 11. Patten's middle -distance running skills have helped the Tigers to a No. 13 ranking in the weekly FinishLynx cross country poll. Outside of running and school, Patten has contributed extensively to the Ronald McDonald House.
Recording an assist in the Tigers' Sunday game against Oklahoma State, Grice (Columbia, Mo.) is a defender on the MU soccer team and has started in all 10 of Missouri's games this season. Majoring in biochemistry, Grice holds a 3.7 grade-point average and was active in the Truman Club Winter Party that reaches out to local children.
All three Tiger sports will be in action this weekend. The football team will face Colorado at home (2:30 p.m. CT Saturday) and will be shown live on ABC. Both the men's and women's cross country team will travel to South Bend, Ind., for the Notre Dame Invitational on Oct. 1, while the soccer team hosts Big 12 opponents Nebraska (Oct. 1) and Colorado (Oct. 3). Tickets for all of Missouri's upcoming games are still available through the ticket office or by calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS.