Simmons, Graziano Named Mercer Student-Athletes Of The Week
4/9/2026 5:33:00 PM | Baseball, Track & Field, Athletics Department
MACON – Jayla Simmons' record-breaking performance and Michael Graziano's fiery stretch from the plate led to the pair of Bears receiving Mercer Student-Athlete of the Week honors for the week ending on April 6.
Simmons, a sophomore from Atlanta, Georgia, set the Doc Anderson Invitational & Multi record for the longest long jump in meet history with a jump of 5.85 meters at Troy University last Friday. Simmons also finished 11th of 24 competitors with a time of 12.42 in the women's 100m sprint.
Graziano, a junior from Naples, Florida, slashed .563/.529/.938 across four starts and helped lead the Bears to a 3-1 record last week. Graziano went 9-for-16 with a 1.467 OPS and began the week 4-for-4 with two RBI, a home run and three runs scored against Kennesaw State. Graziano ended the week with a 2-for-4 performance from the plate with two doubles and an RBI from the lead-off spot in the series finale against UNC Greensboro.
| 2025-26 MERCER STUDENT-ATHLETES OF THE WEEK | |||
| Week Ending | Male Honoree | Female Honoree | Official Release |
| April 6 | Michael Graziano, Baseball | Jayla Simmons, Track and Field | April 9 |
| March 30 | Jacob Neuman, Lacrosse | Olivia Lenzen, Softball | April 2 |
| March 23 | Braydon Kersey, Baseball | Iris Porter, Track and Field | March 25 |
| March 16 | Brant Baughcum, Baseball | Avery Barton, Softball | March 18 |
| March 9 | Eli Stephens, Baseball | Caroline Glus, Lacrosse | March 11 |
| March 2 | Titan Kamaka, Baseball | Talia Kemp, Basketball | March 5 |
| February 22 | Braydon Kersey, Baseball | Katie Scheck, Golf | February 25 |
| February 18 | Chris Katz, Baseball | Grace McKillop, Softball | February 18 |
| February 11 | Michael Frederick, Lacrosse | Avery Barton, Softball | February 11 |
| February 4 | Zaire Williams, Basketball | Ines Hömberg Fernandez, Tennis | February 4 |
| January 28 | Baraka Okojie, Basketball | Marina de Diego Quinones, Tennis | January 28 |
| October 6 | Braden Atkinson, Football | Marie Bannmeyer, Tennis | October 6 |
| September 28 | CJ Miller, Football | Katie Scheck, Golf | September 29 |
| September 21 | Braden Atkinson, Football | Sammi Bergjans, Volleyball | September 22 |
| September 14 | Andrew Zock, Football | Nikki Harris, Cross Country | September 15 |
| September 7 | Henry Hampshaw, Soccer | Morganne Eikelbarner, Soccer | September 8 |
Players Mentioned
