SCAC Announces 2016 Man of the Year Finalists

Posted: Jun 17, 2016

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference announced today the five finalists for the 2016 SCAC Man of the Year award. The award recognizes the conference’s senior male student-athlete who has best distinguished himself throughout his collegiate career in the areas of academic achievement, athletic excellence and service and leadership. Past Winners

This year's finalists include: Madison Ross of Austin College, James Lonergan of Colorado College, Will Cates of Southwestern University, Alejandro Gutierrez of Texas Lutheran University and Taylor Piske of Trinity University.

To be nominated, student-athletes must have completed intercollegiate eligibility in his primary sport by the end of the 2016 spring season, received his undergraduate degree prior to the conclusion of the summer 2016 term and had a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.500 (4.000 scale).

The 2016 Southern Collegiate Athletic Man of the Year will be selected and announced later this month.

Scroll below to read a quick bio on each of the five finalists:

Madison Ross, Austin College
Football

Graduated as a Business Administration major with a 3.93 GPA.
Four-time SCAC Academic Honor Roll honoree (2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016).
Two-time First Team CoSIDA Academic All-America (2014 and 2015).
Two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District Team (2014 and 2015).
Two-time All-SCAC running back (2014 and 2015).
SCAC Newcomer-of-the-Year (2012).
Two-time winner of Austin College/Pete Cawthon Male Athlete-of-the-Year (2014-15 and 2015-16).
Austin College/Tim Jubela Most Outstanding Freshman Male Athlete (2012-13).
SCAC Character & Community honoree (2015).
Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society; Volunteer with Sherman Food Bank and Sory Elementary School amongst other organizations.

James Lonergan, Colorado College
Basketball

Graduated as a Economics and Business major with a 3.72 GPA.
Four-time SCAC Academic Honor Roll honoree (2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016).
Four-time NABC Honor's Court honoree (2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016).
Three-time SCAC All-Sportsmanship Team (2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16).
SCAC Character & Community Honoree (2015).
First Team All-SCAC Men's Basketball (2015-16).
SCAC leader in Field Goal Percentage (2015-16).
CoSIDA Academic All-District (2015-16).
Christopher Quon Award (CC student-athlete who best represents institution athletically, academically and through community service), 2015-16.
Robert Kaye Business Award (Top Business Student at Colorado College), 2015-16.
Sole Student Representative on CC Board of Trustees; Student-Athlete Advisory Committee; Volunteer with Team Impact, Operation TBI Freedom, Walk for the Cure and Special Olympics amongst other activities.

Will Cates, Southwestern University
Baseball

Graduated as a Biochemistry major with a 3.74 GPA.
Three-time SCAC Academic Honor Roll honoree (2013, 2014 and 2015).
Two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District (2015 and 2016).
Two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America (2015 and 2016).
Two-time winner of Southwestern University/Dr. Tex Kassen Male Athlete of the Year (2014-15 and 2015-16).
Two-time First-Team All-SCAC outfielder (2015 and 2016).
SCAC Player-of-the-Year (2015).
Two-time ABCA/Rawlings First-Team All-West Region (2015 and 2016).
Two-time D3baseball.com All-West Region (2015 and 2016).
D3baseball.com Honorable Mention All-America (2015).
Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-medical Honor Society and Alpha Lambda Honor Society; Volunteer with the Locker, Meals on Wheels and the Williamson County Juvenile Detention Center amongst other organizations.

Alejandro Gutierrez, Texas Lutheran University
Baseball

Graduated as a Spanish major with a 3.47 GPA.
Three-time SCAC Academic Honor Roll honoree (2014, 2015 and 2016).
SCAC Character & Community honoree (2016).
SCAC All-Sportsmanship Team (2016).
Texas Lutheran University Male Sportsmanship Student-Athlete of the Year (2015-16).
Second Team All-SCAC Second Baseman (2016).
Seguin ISD Migrant Student Tutor; Volunteer as baseball camp instructor and TLU Day of Dogs (community service) amongst other activites.

Taylor Piske, Trinity University
Cross Country and Outdoor Track & Field

Graduated as a Engineering Science major with 3.80 GPA.
Seven-time SCAC Academic Honor Roll honoree (2012 Fall, 2013 Spring, 2013 Fall, 2014 Spring, 2014 Fall, 2015 Fall and 2016 Spring).
CoSIDA Academic All-District Track & Field (2015-16).
Three-time USTFCCCA All-Academic Cross Country (2012, 2013 and 2015).
Four-time All-SCAC Cross Country (2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015).
SCAC Cross Country Runner of the Year (2015).
SCAC Cross Country Newcomer of the Year (2012).
Three-time Trinity Cross Country Most Valuable Runner (2013, 2014 and 2015).
Four-time NCAA South/Southeast All-Region Cross Country (2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015).
SCAC Track and Field Co-Newcomer of the Year (2013).
Seven-time All-SCAC Track and Field honoree (2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016).
Three-time SCAC champion in 5,000 meters (2014, 2015 and 2016); Two-time SCAC champion in 10,000 meters (2015 and 2016).
Trinity University Engineering Department Outstanding Junior Design Award (2015).
Trinity University Engineering Department Junior Academic Achievement Award (2015).
Violinist for the Trinity Symphony Orchestra and Trinity Jazz Band; Volunteer with San Antonio Food Bank, HOPE Hall amongst other organizations.