Wingate's de Castro Navarro Tabbed Men's Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Wingate University's Mateo de Castro Navarro has been named the South Atlantic Conference Men's Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the Conference office announced today.

A native of Spain, de Castro Navarro has excelled in the classroom and in competition throughout his Wingate career. A mathematics major with a 3.961 GPA, he earned the SAC Elite 23 Award for men's outdoor track and field and has been named to the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll. He has also earned a spot on the Wingate President's List five times during his collegiate career.

De Castro Navarro has been a key contributor to one of the top track and field programs in the region, helping Wingate capture SAC indoor and outdoor championship titles in each of his three seasons.

As a freshman, de Castro Navarro placed fourth in the shot put at the SAC Indoor Championships and earned All-SAC First Team honors with a runner-up finish in the shot put at the SAC Outdoor Championships. He also finished sixth in the discus throw at the outdoor championship meet. During the summer of 2024, he returned to Spain and won both the regional and Spanish national championships in the shot put.

During his sophomore campaign, de Castro Navarro earned All-SAC First Team honors in the indoor shot put after placing third at the SAC Indoor Championships. He also competed in the prestigious Raleigh Relays and Duke Invitational, recording top-15 finishes in the shot put at both meets.

His junior season was highlighted by a SAC outdoor shot put championship and All-SAC First Team honors in both the indoor and outdoor shot put. He added a runner-up finish in the indoor shot put at the SAC Championships and established career-best marks in the shot put, discus and hammer throw at the VertKlasse Meeting.

Away from the track, de Castro Navarro has demonstrated a strong commitment to service and leadership. He serves as a supplemental instructor and mathematics tutor through Wingate's Academic Resource Center and has volunteered extensively with Inclusive Sport programs in Spain, helping athletes with disabilities participate in track and field activities. He has also volunteered with youth track clubs, community events and school field day activities.

The SAC Scholar-Athlete Award is presented annually to one student-athlete in each Conference-sponsored sport who excels in academics, athletics, leadership and community service.

SAC Men's Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year Finalists

• Liam Sutton (LRU)
• Mateo de Castro Navarro (Wingate) - Winner
• Vincent Quilici (LMU)
• William Wainwright (MHU)