LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference announced today the five finalists for the 2022 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
Member schools were permitted to submit two nominations if at least one of the nominees was a man of color or international student-athlete.
This year’s finalist include: Xander Spurlock of Austin College, Cole Thumann of Colorado College, Hunter Bajoit of Southwestern University, Christian Alaekwe of University of St. Thomas and Christian Settles of Trinity University.
To be nominated, student-athletes must have completed intercollegiate eligibility in his primary sport by the end of the 2022 spring season, received his undergraduate degree prior to the conclusion of the summer 2022 term and had a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.500 (4.000 scale) with the noted exception due to COVID-19 pandemic. A student-athlete who received an extension waiver or a season of competition/participation waiver in his primary sport due to cancellation of a 2020 and/or 2021 athletics season or championship may be nominated for the 2022 Man of the Year, provided he otherwise satisfies nomination criteria.
The 2022 Southern Collegiate Athletic Man of the Year will be selected and announced in July.
Scroll below to read a quick bio on each of the five finalists:
Xander Spurlock, Austin College
Men's Soccer
- Economics major; Exercise and Sports Studes minor with a 4.00 GPA
- Four-Time SCAC Academic Honor Roll Honoree (2018-21)
- Austin College Dean’s List (2018-21)
- Alpha Chi National College Honor Society (2020-21)
- Omicron Delta Epsilon Honor Society (2020-21)
- Economic Scholars Program (2021-22)
- Grace Collins and Will Collins Scholarship (2021-22)
- William B. Steele, Genevieve Wakefield Steele and Sue Steele Memorial Fellowship (2021-22)
- CoSIDA Academic All-District (2019-20)
- All-SCAC Third Team selection (2021)
- All-SCAC Honorable Mention selection (2020)
- Sig Lawson Award Winner (2020-21)
- Clayton Hustle Award (2019-20)
- Team MVP (2021-22)
- Team Captain (2019-21)
- Bone Marrow Drive (2019-20)
- Humane Society of Boulder Valley Volunteer (2022)
Cole Thumann, Colorado College
Men's Swimming & Diving
- Physics major with a 4.00 GPA
- Four-Time SCAC Academic Honor Roll Honoree (2019-22)
- SCAC Men's Swimming & Diving Elite 19 Award Winner (2022)
- CoSIDA Academic All-American - At Large Team (2022)
- CoSIDA Academic All-District - At Large Team (2021-22)
- CC Outstanding Male Student-Athlete / Van Diest Award (2021-22)
- David and Karen Cowperthwaite Award for Excellence in Physics (2021-22)
- Three-Time All-SCAC - 400 IM (2019-20, 2022)
- SCAC Champion - 400 IM (2020)
- Three-Time All-SCAC - 200 Medley and 400 Medley Relay Teams (2019-20, 2022)
- Colorado College Chris M Quon Award (2022)
- Colorado College Jerry Lear Coaches Choice Award (2022)
- Team Captain (2021-22)
- President's Council Member (2020-21)
- Physics Department Mentor (2020-22)
- CRU - Christian Group Member (2018-22)
- Little Catz - Volunteer (2019-20)
- Special Olympics Volunteer (2019-20)
- Habitat for Humanity Volunteer (2019)
- Colorado Fourteeners Initiative at Mt. Elbert Volunteer (2018)
Hunter Bajoit, Southwestern University
Men's Tennis
- Economics major; Business and French minor with a 3.73 GPA
- Four-Time SCAC Academic Honor Roll Honoree (2019-22)
- Southwestern University Dean's List (2018-21)
- Three-Time ITA Scholar Athlete (2019-21)
- Two-Time ITA All-American (2021, 2022)
- Three-Time ITA Regional Finalist (2019, 2021-22)
- NCAA Singles Qualifier (2021, 2022)
- SCAC Player of the Year (2021)
- Three-Time All-SCAC First Team - Singles (2018, 2021, 2022)
- Two-Time All-SCAC First Team - Doubles (2018, 2021)
- Three-Time SCAC All-Tournament Team (2019, 2021, 2022)
- SCAC Newcomer of the Year (2019)
- Five-Time SCAC Player of the Week (Singles)
- Four-Time SCAC Player of the Week (Doubles)
- Southwestern Male Student-Athlete of the Year (2020-21)
- Sam Merrill Award (2022)
- Team Captain (2020-22)
- Founder of Bajoit Tennis Academy (2019-22)
- Georgetown Community Tennis Volunteer (2019-22)
- Marvin Henderson Foundation Member (2022)
Christian Alaekwe, University of St. Thomas
Men's Basketball
- Psychology major with a 3.00 GPA; Masters in Education with a 4.00 GPA
- Three-Time SCAC Academic Honor Roll Honoree (2020-22)
- University of St. Thomas Dean's List (2020-21)
- University of St. Thomas - Men's Student-Athlete of the Year (2021-22)
- SCAC Men's Basketball Player of the Year (2021-22)
- All-SCAC First Team (2021-22)
- All-SCAC Third Team (2020-21)
- Two-Time SCAC All-Tournament Team (2021-22)
- SCAC Tournament MVP (2022)
- One-Time SCAC Player of the Week (2021-22)
- NABC First Team All-Region (2021-22)
- Two-Time SCAC Regular Season Champion (2019-20; 2021-22)
- SCAC Tournament Champion (2021-22)
- Team Captain (2018-22)
- Black Student Union Member (2019-20)
Christian Settles, Trinity University
Men's Tennis
- Communication major; Sport Management and New Media minor with a 3.78 GPA
- Four-Time SCAC Academic Honor Roll Honoree (2019-22)
- Trinity University Dean's List (2019-22)
- Two-Time ITA Scholar Athlete (2020-21)
- ITA All-American - Doubles (2022)
- ITA Southwest Region Doubles Champion (2021)
- ITA Southwest Region - Most Improved Senior (2022)
- Two-Time All-SCAC Second Team - Singles (2021, 2022)
- Two-Time All-SCAC First Team - Doubles (2021, 2022)
- Three-Time SCAC All-Tournament Team (2019, 2021, 2022)
- Team Captain (2020-22)
- Trinity University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Member (2018-22)
- Trinity University Tennis Kids Clinics Volunteer (2018-22)
- Texas Senior Games Volunteer (2022)
- The Hidden Opponent - Campus Chapter - Leadership Selection Committee (2022)
