LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – In exclusive voting by the senior woman administrators of the conference, Aaron Skinner of Trinity University has been selected as the 2015 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Man of the Year.
The SCAC Man of the Year award recognizes senior student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership. The inaugural SCAC Man of the Year award was presented in 2013.
Skinner, a member of the men’s tennis team as well as the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and a President’s Scholar during his four years at Trinity, is the school’s first SCAC MOTY recipient.
After graduating Magna Cum Laude in May with a 3.78 GPA in Biology and Environmental Science, Skinner is ready to utilize what he has learned in the classroom to make his mark on the world.
“My long term goal is to make the world a better place by solving important environmental problems,” said Skinner. “Specifically, I plan to obtain a PhD in conservation biology, and ultimately conduct research on environmental issues in a governmental or university setting that will inform politicians.”
Skinner is a four-time SCAC Academic Honor Roll recipient as well as an ITA Scholar Athlete honoree in 2012, 2013 and 2014 (the 2015 awards have yet to be announced),
A native of Columbia, Mo., Skinner also excelled on the court as an integral part of four conference championship teams. He was a three-time Division III All-America selection, earning the honor for both singles and doubles in 2013 and again in doubles this spring. This past fall, along with teammate Jordan Mayer, Skinner captured the ITA National Small College Doubles Championship along with the Regional tandem crown. As a sophomore in 2013, Skinner earned SCAC Player-of-the-Year honors and reached the NCAA Singles semifinals. The previous fall he captured his first national title by winning the National Small College Singles Championship.
“Playing college tennis has helped me develop qualities that are central to my goal,” said Skinner. “Most importantly, tennis has taught me how to work as a team to achieve a common goal. In addition, the countless hours of practice, grueling on-court competition, and my commitment to being extremely fit have shown me that I am capable of sustained hard work.”
Skinner believes his experiences in and out of the classroom have been crucial in shaping the person that he is today.
“I try to lead by example in all aspects of life,” said Skinner. “On the court, I inspire my teammates by working the hardest. In the classroom, I arouse curiosity about the biological world in my classmates. Most importantly, I model how to live a kind and compassionate life.”
Skinner was one of five outstanding nominees considered by the SCAC Man of the Year Committee. The other candidates were:
- Cheyne Kendall, golf, Schreiner University
- Andrew Worthington, soccer, Colorado College
- Tre Stewart, football, Austin College
- Bryan Doolittle, football, Texas Lutheran University
To read about past winners of the SCAC Man-of-the-Year award, click here.
Year-by-year SCAC Man of the Year Honorees:
2015 – Aaron Skinner, tennis, Trinity University
2014 – Kaleb Roush, swimming, Colorado College
2013 – Nick Lammers, soccer, Colorado College