Tusculum's Forsberg, Carson-Newman's Hawkins Named South Atlantic Conference Golf Scholar-Athletes of the Year

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Tusculum's Nick Forsberg was voted the South Atlantic Conference Men's Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year, while Meridith Hawkins from Carson-Newman earned the women's honor, the League announced today.  The pair earned the honor for their 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.

Forsberg, a junior from Staples, Minn., carries a 3.65 GPA with a major in sport management.  He is a three-time South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll recipient and has earned Tusculum College Athletic Director's Honor Roll honors in each of his three years at TC.  A three-time Dean's List honoree, Forsberg was named to the Charles Oliver Honors List in each of his three years a Pioneer.

"Nick is a young man of excellent character and drive," said Tusculum head men's golf coach Bob Dibble.  "He has become a leader of our team and has always been very reliable."

Forsberg earned medalist honors at the 2015 South Atlantic Conference Men's Golf Championship after firing a 1-under par 143.  He finished in the top-10 in three events during the 2015 season and was the runner-up at the Tusculum Invitational with a 3-under par 139.  His lowest round of the year came at the Tusculum Fall Classic as he carded a 67 to finish at four under par.  As a team, the Pioneers took home four championships, including the 2015 South Atlantic Conference Men's Golf Title.

He earned second-team All-Conference honors as a freshman and was named the Tusculum College Men's Golf Most Valuable Player during his freshman and sophomore seasons.  During his sophomore campaign, Forsberg earned runner-up honors at the 2014 SAC Men's Golf Championship.

In the community, Forsberg has served as a volunteer with the Greene County Food Bank all three years at TC and has volunteered at the Nolichucky View Golf Course as a spotter at golf tournaments.  He has worked with the Make-A-Wish foundation as a volunteer and was a junior golf camp worker at the Craguns Golf Resort in his hometown in Minnesota.

Forsberg is also busy on campus as he is the men's golf representative on the TC Student Athlete Advisory Council, while serving as an intern in the Tusculum College Athletic Department.  He also has coordinated men's golf qualifying while his coach travels with the TC women's squad.

Hawkins, a junior from Powell, Tenn., is a biology-pre-med major with a  3.95 GPA.  She has earned the Carson-Newman Dean Scholarship in each of her three seasons as an Eagle and earned Alpha Chi National College Honor Society honors during her junior year as she is ranked in the top 10 percent of her class.  A three-year member of the American Medical Student Association, Hawkins was named a Women's Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar-Athlete during her sophomore season.  During her sophomore and junior seasons, Hawkins was named an Eagle Scholar.  She is a two-time SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll recipient to go along with a pair of Carson-Newman Dean's List plaudits.

"Hawkins' dedication to what she does as a student-athlete is an outstanding role model for everyone on the team," said Suzanne Strudwick Carson-Newman head women's golf coach.  "It proves that a pre-med major can be Scholar-Athlete of the Year and a huge contributor to the team, and I can't ask for anything more as a coach."

During the 2015 season, Hawkins turned in a pair of top-10 finishes and fired the squad's lowest round of the season with a 73 at the D-I Fighting Camel Invitational.  Hawkins turned a team-best 11 rounds in the 70's on the year and was one of only two Eagles to play in every tournament this season.  Her best tournament of the year came in Carson-Newman's first tournament of the spring slate as she finished tied for 13^th at the Kiawah Island Intercollegiate.  She also helped her squad win the 2015 South Atlantic Conference Women's Golf Championship with a three-round score of 240.

She was named the South Atlantic Conference Women's Golfer of the Year during the 2013-14 season to become just the third-ever honoree in Carson-Newman history.  A two-time SAC All-Tournament honoree, she was also named a First-Team All-SAC honoree during her sophomore season.

Hawkins is a major contributor to her community as she has served as a volunteer with numerous organizations.  She has worked with Operation Christmas Child in each of her three years at Carson-Newman as well as Operation In-As-Much during her junior year as volunteer to people in need.  As a member of Alpha Chi National Honor Society, she helped coordinate a book fair on Carson-Newman's campus to raise money for Samaritan House. 

On campus, Hawkins has served as a peer tutor and has earned the Betsy Forney Golf Endowment Scholarship all three years at Carson-Newman.

Other Men's Golf Nominees
Nick Lussier, Newberry
Phillip Konnikov, Wingate