Lenoir-Rhyne's Jacob Slagle Named South Atlantic Conference Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Lenoir-Rhyne's Jacob Slagle was tabbed the South Atlantic Conference Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the League announced today. He earned the honor for his achievements in academics, athletics, service and leadership.

The South Atlantic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is presented annually to one student-athlete in each of the Conference's championship sports, and is voted on by the SAC's Faculty Athletic Representatives Committee.

Slagle, a junior religious development major sports a 3.89 GPA. He has made appearances on both the Dean's and President's list as well as being selected to the South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll all three years. On campus, Slagle is a member and president of the junior class of the Alpha Lambda Honor Society and is also a member of the Psi Chi International Honor Society. Slagle is a recipient of both the Honors Trustee Scholarship and Major James Ursano Scholarship, and is a 2015 nominee for the NCAA Division II Good Works team – the most esteemed off the field honor in college football.

Dr. Amy Wood, Faculty Athletic Representative said of the offensive lineman "Jacob Slagle embodies the scholar-athlete award as he demonstrates excellence on the field, in the classroom and beyond."

On the gridiron, Slagle has been a key player for the Lenoir-Rhyne offensive line. He has been a member of three South Atlantic Conference Championship teams, including three NCAA Division II Playoff appearances. In his freshman campaign the Bears advanced to the 2013 national finals. In his junior year, he was one of the anchors of a squad that helped the Bears rush for an NCAA Division II single-season record average of 416.2 yards per game. At the close of the 2015 campaign, Slagle helped lead an offensive line that averaged 384.7 yards per game to take the No. 1 spot for the nation's top rushing team in Division II. Slagle has been a 2014 and 2015 Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree and at Lenoir-Rhyne the offensive lineman has earned three Legion Award honors and won the Phil Burns Award.

"Jacob (Slagle) is an incredible young man and an outstanding leader on our football team," said Aaron Brock, Assistant Coach and Academic Coordinator for the Lenoir-Rhyne Football Team.

A leader outside of the field, Slagle has been active on campus and in the community. At Lenoir-Rhyne, the offensive lineman has been a member of the Bears football team's leadership council, the Angel Bear program and Lenoir-Rhyne's Student-Athlete Advisory Council. He has traveled abroad leading mission trips in North and Central America in addition to his volunteer work at the Salvation Army, Southcrest High School Church Summer Camp and with the Campus Crusade for Christ.

Other Nominees:
Alex Noboa, Brevard
Dan Gallman, Carson-Newman
Mike Sheehan, Catawba
Hunter Cantrell, Tusculum
Eric Mapoles, Wingate