SUWANEE, Ga. -- In exclusive voting by the senior woman administrators of the conference, AJ Clark of Trinity University has been selected the 2023 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Man of the Year.
Clark is the third Trinity student-athlete to earn SCAC Man of the Year honors and the second in the last three years after Cameron Krimbill took home the league’s top honor in 2021. Aaron Skinner was honored as the SCAC Man of the Year in 2015.
“I am happy to see a quality person such as AJ recognized as the SCAC Man of the Year," said Trinity Director of Athletics Bob King. “He and the Clark family have been amazing representatives of Trinity for many years, and it’s great to see AJ rewarded for the hard work he has put in both on and off the court over his career.”
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 was presented in 2013.
Clark, a native of San Antonio, Texas and five-year letterwinner on the men’s basketball team, graduated with an undergraduate degree in Business Analytics and Technology with minors in communication management and sport management in May of 2022. He has continued his education over the past year pursuing a master’s degree in healthcare administration.
On the hardwood, Clark closed out his career with the Tigers as a three-time All-SCAC honoree, highlighted by his First Team selection and the league’s Defensive Player of the Year nod in his final year. A two-time National Strength & Conditioning Association All-American, Clark was a key member of the Tigers’ 2020-21 team that was crowned SCAC Regular Season Champions and earned a bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Clark captained the Tigers from 2019-2023 and was selected to the College Sports Communicators (formerly College Sports Information Directors of America) Academic All-District Team for the third time in his career in 2023 as well. Clark was a Second Team All-Region selection by D3hoops.com following this season, leading the team in virtually every category. He was also the recipient of the SCAC Elite 19 award for the third consecutive year and earned the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
“I am so very proud of AJ for all that he has accomplished as both a student, and an athlete, in his time here at Trinity,” said Trinity head men’s basketball coach Jimmy Smith. “AJ has a special combination of character, work ethic, organizational skills, and teamwork, that set him apart from people his age and beyond. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to work with AJ over the last three years.”
During his five seasons as a member of the men’s basketball team, Clark started in 97 of the 117 games he played in and finished with 1,035 points, 600 rebounds, 378 assists and 172 steals.
“Learning how to balance the demands of the sport with the academic expectations at my university further developed this hard-working spirit and taught me time management skills and how to balance priorities,” said Clark. “I was elected team captain each of the last four years and learned how to lead others in this role.”
Off the court, Clark was both a Student Inclusivity Officer and a Bell Center Facility Supervisor, as well as being a Texas Business Hall of Fame Inductee and Scholarship recipient. He was a volunteer with Chariots of Fire at the Hughes and Kyle Unit Prison, worked with Haven for Hope Food Bank, and with Habitat for Humanity.
“I came to Trinity to get a great education and play point guard,” said Clark. “I am leaving with so much more as my experiences here truly have shaped the man I’ve become."
Clark was one of six outstanding nominees considered by the SCAC Man of the Year Committee. The other candidates were:
- Tate Nelson, tennis, Austin College
- Jaron Petreas, soccer, Centenary College
- Kevin Peterson, soccer, Colorado College
- Christian Rodriguez, golf, Southwestern University
- Luis Green, soccer, 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:
2023 - AJ Clark, basketball, Trinity Univerity
2022 - Cole Thumann, swimming, Colorado College
2021 - Cameron Krimbill, tennis, Trinity University
2020 - Alexis Dimanche, tennis, Southwestern University
2019 - Riley Schaefer, baseball, Texas Lutheran University
2018 - Keenan Gumbs, basketball, Schreiner University
2017 - Soren Frykholm, soccer, Colorado College
2016 - Madison Ross, football, Austin College
2015 – Aaron Skinner, tennis, Trinity University
2014 – Kaleb Roush, swimming, Colorado College
2013 – Nick Lammers, soccer, Colorado College
