The South Atlantic Conference Announces 2015 Woman of the Year

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Jazmine Charles of Lenoir-Rhyne and Christina Matheny from Wingate have been named the 2015 South Atlantic Conference Co-Woman of the Year, the League publically announced today.  The pair will be the SAC’s nominees for the NCAA National Woman of the Year that will be announced at the annual ceremony in Indianapolis, Ind. in October. 

“What an honor it is to have two extraordinary student-athletes like Christina and Jazmine represent the South Atlantic Conference for the NCAA Woman of the Year honor,” said South Atlantic Conference Commissioner Patrick Britz.  “These are two of the finest athletes to ever compete in our storied conference and to have the academic achievements and community service efforts on top of that is outstanding. We wish them nothing but the brightest futures and feel fortunate to have a hand in developing such exceptional young ladies.”

Charles, a recent graduate from Lexington, N.C., was one of the best women’s basketball players in Lenoir-Rhyne history.  Charles was a four-year starter for the Bears who leaves the program ranked first in three-pointers made (183) and fifth in points scored (1,605) on the team’s career lists.

Charles was a three-time First-Team All-South Atlantic Conference honoree (2013-15) and was named the 2013-14 SAC and Southeast Region Player Of The Year.

In addition, Charles earned Third-Team All-American honors as a junior as she led the squad to the South Atlantic Conference Regular Season Championship. Lenoir-Rhyne, 24-7 that year, served as the host of the 2014 NCAA Division II Southeast Region Tournament.

Academically, Charles earned her bachelor’s degrees in public relations and broadcast and electronic media this past May and was named the 2014-15 SAC Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete Of The Year. Charles has also been selected to both Lenoir-Rhyne’s Dean’s List and President’s List and was an Academic All-District selection.

Charles was also an active member of FCA, Nu Generation Gospel Choir and several honor societies in addition to volunteering at the Hickory Soup Kitchen, Cooperative Christian Ministry and the Humane Society of Catawba County.

Matheny, a graduate from Akron, Ohio, is a four-time All-Region performer in the high jump and was the USTFCCCA Southeast Region Field Athlete of the Year during the 2015 NCAA indoor and outdoor seasons. She is Wingate's first women's track and field All-American with her second team indoor honors this winter. Matheny tied her personal-best outdoor leap (1.73 meters) on the way to first team outdoor All-American laurels in May.

Matheny is a two-time winner of the South Atlantic Conference high jump championship. The four-time Wingate Field Performer of the Year earned a bronze medal in the 2015 SAC long jump competition. She holds Wingate's school high jump and heptathlon records. Matheny is a two-time Capital One Academic All-District III women's track & field/cross country team member.

Matheny's campus and community involvement list is lengthy. She has served as president and Make-A-Wish chair for Wingate's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Thanks to the leadership provided by Matheny and the WU SAAC, Wingate Athletics raised more than $5000 for Make-A-Wish during her junior year. She was an intern at the United Way of Central Carolinas in 2014.

A group leader for a March 2014 Wingate Alternative Spring Break (ASB) trip, Matheny took a group of students and University employees to build a house in Marianna, Fla. She also participated in ASB trips to Florida and Alabama, respectively, during her freshman and sophomore years. She served as an admissions tour guide, a campus safety student worker, a note taker for the disabled and a peer mentor as well.

Matheny graduated magna cum laude at the University's Commencement Exercises Saturday, May 16. She has a 3.72 GPA with her Human Services major. She earned the Arthur Joseph "Pepper" Geddings, Jr. Award for best overall student-athlete at Wingate's 2015 WUSPYS athletic awards celebration. In addition, she received the Wingate Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Leadership Award.

The Woman of the Year award honors graduating female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in academics, athletics, service and leadership. Of the nominees, 205 competed in Division I, 75 competed in Division II and 166 competed in Division III athletics.