Tusculum's Simon Holzapfel named SAC Scholar Athlete for Men's Cross Country

WINGATE, N.C. --- Tusculum College’s Simon Holzapfel has been named the 2010 South Atlantic Conference Scholar Athlete for Men’s Cross Country announced league officials Saturday. The award was presented at the conclusion of Saturday's SAC Championship, held on the campus of Wingate University.  This marks the second straight year Holzapfel has earned this honor.

The South Atlantic Conference Scholar Athlete Award is presented to one athlete from each of the conference's 14 sport programs and represents a combination of athletic skill, academic achievement and participation in community service and leadership.

Holzapfel, a senior from Nuremburg, Germany, is majoring in Sport Management and Sport Science with a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade point average.

He is the two-time SAC Runner of the Year and has won 16 individual titles during his career, including six in a row this year. He was named to the All-Southeast Region team in 2008 and 2009.

Holzapfel is also a two-time ESPN Cross Country Academic All-American® in 2008-09 and 2009-10 and is a nominee for the NCAA Today’s Fall Top VIII Award.

He has received many academic honors while at Tusculum, including the Duffield Award twice, which is presented to the TC student-athlete with the highest GPA.  He also received the Tusculum Freshman Student-Athlete of the Year Academic Award in 2008 and is also a member of the SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Tusculum Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, Tusculum Dean’s List, Charles Oliver Gray Honors List and the Tusculum President’s List.  He is a recipient of the 2010 Alpha Chi Academic Excellence Award, which is presented to the highest academically ranked junior.  He also received the James E. Ward Student Honor Award from the Tennessee Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (TAHPERD).

Holzapfel serves as a student ambassador for the Tusculum President's Society and is active in community and campus activities, including serving as a senator with the Tusculum Student Government Association, vice president of the Pioneer Student-Athlete Advisory Council, a tutor, the Tusculum Religious Life Center, campus recycling and energy-saving projects, Physical Education and Sports Majors Club and Theatre at Tusculum.

He has volunteered with painting and other projects at a local nursing home and fundraising efforts for a local elementary school and the Tusculum College athletic department.  He has also volunteered with the Pioneer Green Team, Tusculum Quality Enhancement Program Committee and the Tusculum Presidential Inauguration.