Tusculum’s Cooper, Catawba’s Myers Named SAC Cross Country Scholar-Athletes of the Year

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Tusculum junior David Cooper and Catawba senior Olivia Myers have been chosen as the 2013 SAC Cross Country Scholar-Athletes of the Year, a distinction that recognizes excellence in athletics, academics, service and leadership.

The SAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards are presented to one student-athlete in each of the conference's 18 championship sports. The awards are voted on by the league's Faculty Athletics Representatives Committee.

Cooper carries a perfect 4.0 GPA majoring in biology at Tusculum. He is a two-time member of the Tusculum Dean's List, the Tusculum President's List and the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll, and was named to the Capital One Academic All-America Team as a sophomore. He is also a member of the Alpha Chi Honors Society and the Charles Oliver Gray Honors List.

On the course, Cooper was a selection to the SAC All-Freshman Team in 2011, the All-SAC First Team in 2012 and the All-SAC Second Team by result of his performance at last month's Food Lion SAC Cross Country Championship. He is also a three-year team captain.

Cooper has been involved in numerous campus and community leadership roles, serving with the Nettie Day of Service, the Greene County YMCA, the TC Athletic Judicial Board and the Greene County Humane Society. He is also the current president of the TC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and is a past participant of the SAC Student-Athlete Leadership Conference.

Myers has a 3.98 GPA studying in Catawba's biology department. She is a multi-year member of the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll, the Catawba Dean's List, the Catawba Presidential Honor Roll, Alpha Chi Honors Society, Phi Epsilon Honors Society and Gamma Sigma Epsilon Chemistry Honors Society, and was named to the Capital One Academic All-District Team last season.

Myers earned All-SAC and SAC All-Freshman honors in 2010, and finished 49th at the 2013 SAC Cross Country Championship. She was named Catawba's team MVP in each of her first year years on campus.

Away from athletics, Myers has volunteered with the North Davison Veterinary Hospital, the Reeds Community Swim Club, the United Way Day of Caring, Operation Christmas Child and Faithful Friends Animal Shelter. She is a former Catawba class president and currently serves as a class senator and co-president of the Retreat Leadership Corp on campus.

Also considered:

James Lawson, Wingate

Keeley Wood, Wingate

Gustav Meyners, Lenoir-Rhyne

Grace Turner, Lenoir-Rhyne

Dylan Bates, Coker

Carter Benge, Mars Hill

Mark Edwards, Carson-Newman

Megan Farjellah, Carson-Newman

Matt Jordan-Steele, Catawba

Parks Edwards, Anderson