BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Delta State University senior
Tyler Sullivan (Football) was named a Gulf South Conference "Top Ten" Award winner for the second time, announced by the GSC office on Tuesday.
These awards, based on athletic, academic and extracurricular achievement during the 2016-17 academic year, recognize the top five male and top five female student-athletes as the cream of the GSC crop. The top male and female receive the Commissioner's Trophy, the Conference's most prestigious honor.
The presentations will be made at the GSC's Annual Awards Banquet, Thursday, June 1, at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Pensacola Beach, Fla. starting at 6:30 pm. The entire ceremony will be streamed on Facebook Live and can be accessed
HERE. Fans can follow the Top Ten conversation by using
#GSCTop10.
On Thursday night, the Conference will reveal the winners of the Commissioner's Trophies and recognize its All-Sports Trophy Champions (
Overall:
West Florida,
Men:
West Florida,
Women:
West Florida).
The "Top Ten" are selected with the assistance of an advisory committee representing the ADs, SWAs, SIDs, FARs and Presidents from randomly selected GSC schools, which makes a recommendation to the Commissioner, who has the final decision.
Four seniors highlight the five male Top Ten winners:
Alex Peyrot (West Florida, Tennis, Castelnaudary, France),
Tyler Sullivan (Delta State, Football, Louisville, Miss),
Jacob Tucker (North Alabama, Football, Linden, Tenn.) and
Jacob Whitney (Union, Cross Country, Chandler, Ariz.). Sophomore
Justin Brooks (Lee, Track & Field, Athens, Ga.) is the lone underclassmen on the men's list.
Sullivan is the only repeat winner among this year's Top Ten roster, upping the
number of two-time honorees to 25. He returns to the list after garnering the honor in 2015 and he also gives DSU five men's winners in the past six years. Tucker is the third consecutive UNA football player to enter the Top Ten, following former teammates Luke Wingo and Lee Mayhall. Peyrot is UWF's first men's winner since 2014 and he is also first men's tennis selection since 2013 when Argonauts' great Kevin Ducros made the list. Whitney is Union's first-ever men's honoree and just its second overall after Amy Philamlee won in 2015. Lee University broke into the Top Ten field in a big way this year, claiming its first-ever men's and women's standouts. Brooks is the first Top Ten sophomore since
Tyler Sullivan's 2015 accolade.
The women's list is also led by a quartet of seniors:
Elizabeth Dowd (Shorter, Volleyball, Dothan, Ala.),
Natasha Fomina (North Alabama, Volleyball, Broomfield, Colo.),
Tyler Harrison (Alabama Huntsville, Softball, Mobile, Ala.) and
Emily Vogler (West Florida, Soccer, Lynn Haven, Fla.). Completing the list is junior
Sam Burrus (Lee, Golf, Nashville, Tenn.).
Fomina became UNA's sixth women's honoree in seven years, but she is just the third different winner after Nikki Brown won three in a row from 2011-13 and Chloe Roberts took back-to-back in 2015-16. Dowd is SU's second all-time selection, following Paige Rowland in 2015. Harrison gives UAH its first women's honoree since softball great Mary Kelly in 2014. Vogler returned UWF to the women's list for the 10
th time in the last 11 years. Burrus teamed with men's winner Justin Brooks to mark Lee's first-ever Top Ten selections.
Justin Brooks, Lee University
Track & Field
Sophomore | Athens, Ga.
Mathematics | 3.22 Overall G.P.A.
Justin Brooks broke new ground with his Top Ten selection, becoming the first male Lee University student-athlete to earn the honor. He is also the first-ever Track & Field standout to make the list since the awards inception in 1996-97.
The sophomore's off-season determination resulted in a great season on the track for the Flames. His success began at the NCAA DII Indoor Track & Field Championships where his fifth-place finish in the 400-meter dash earned him All-American honors which was a first for the LU program. The Athens, Ga. native continued to impress in Outdoor, as he claimed the GSC 400-meter title and All-GSC First Team honors with a time of 47.09. The time also qualified him for a spot in the NCAA National Meet.
Brooks carries a 3.22 GPA as a Mathematics major. He is a two-time GSC Academic Honor Roll designee and is a strong candidate for this year's Spring All-Academic Team. He is a very active volunteer on and off campus, playing guitar for Lee's Elevation Worship Band and serving as a Door Floor Leader. Brooks is regular volunteer at Eastridge Elementary School and helps lead worship for the children's ministry at Cornerstone Church.
Sam Burrus, Lee University
Golf
Junior | Nashville, Tenn.
Business Administration/Accounting | 3.94 Overall G.P.A.
Sam Burrus embodies everything that defines an excellent student-athlete. She has helped lift Lee University to new heights on and off the golf course, earning the school's first-ever GSC female Top Ten honor while also leading the Flames to one of the best GSC women's golf seasons ever.
The junior is a two-time All-GSC First Team member, leading Lee in scoring both seasons. Burrus posted four Top Five and eight Top 15 efforts in 2017. The Flames made league history in 2017, becoming the first team to qualify for the NCAA DII Women's Golf Championships where they earned a seventh-place finish behind Burrus' final-round 76.
The Nashville, Tenn. native excels in the classroom and as a leader on the Lee campus. She claims a 3.94 GPA as a double-major in Business Administration and Accounting and is a two-time Academic All-American and a three-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll. Burrus was selected by the GSC to represent the Conference at the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum and she is a three-year member of Lee's SAAC, serving as Vice President in 2015 before earning the President role in 2016.
Her SAAC leadership has resulted in over $10,000 raised for Make-A-Wish. Burrus is a member of Phi Beta Lamda, Alpha Chi and Delta mu Delta academic societies and volunteers as income tax assistant and as a local youth mentor.
Elizabeth Dowd, Shorter University
Volleyball | Outside Hitter
Senior | Dothan, Ala.
Biology/Chemistry | 3.90 Overall G.P.A.
Shorter University's Elizabeth Dowd has made the most of her four years on the Hawks' campus, using hard work and dedication to excel on and off the court as a member of this year's GSC Top Ten.
The team captain was a three-time First Team All-GSC member, ranking seventh in the league in digs (3.89) and eighth in kills (3.06). Dowd did not stop there, earning All-America Honorable Mention honors and First Team AVCA All-Region status. She was also named Defensive Player of the Week by the Conference on September 20.
Academically, the senior had few equals, completing her studies as a 3.90 GPA student in her Biology major and Chemistry minor. Dowd was a three-time GSC All-Academic Teamer and a four-time Honor Roll member. She was member of the SU Dean's list in 2016 and 2017 and earned the Outstanding Senior Science Award along with memberships in the Alpha Chi and Beta Beta Beta honor societies. Her team leadership resulted in her selection for the Montana Leadership Retreat in the summer of 2015.
Off campus, the Dothan, Ala. native has traveled to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti and the Dominica Republic to influence children in orphanages and the Boys and Girls Clubs. In 2016, she volunteered for the Woodside Special Care Center in South Africa which assisted residents of severely disabled homes.
Natasha Fomina, University of North Alabama
Volleyball | Outside Hitter
Graduate | Broomfield, Colo.
Professional Marketing | 3.90 Overall G.P.A.
Natasha Fomina's work ethic and drive helped her serve as the team captain for the University of the North Alabama's two-time GSC Champion volleyball squads and made her a strong candidate for the Gulf South Conference Top Ten.
The Broomfield, Colo. native capped an impressive career at UNA, as she was named the Conference Player of the Year and Region Player of the Year by the D2CCA. Fomina also advanced as a Second Team All-American by the AVCA and the D2CCA. The league's kills leader (3.91) was also tabbed the GSC Player of the Week twice.
Fomina's dedication spilled over to the classroom as well, becoming a Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-American and a First Team All-District member. The two-time GSC All-Academic member finished her undergrad work with a 3.90 GPA in Professional Marketing and she is currently in the MBA program at UNA. Fomina was a UNA Presidential Scholar and was named the UNA Female Athlete of the Year and the UNA Lion Queen which is awarded to the top all-around student-athlete.
She volunteered a large amount of her free time to helping children in the Florence community, participating in the Kilby School, Harlan Elementary and Forest Hill Elementary reading programs. She entertained community youth on campus at the "Movie Night With the Lions" and "Kids Fun Night" events.
Tyler Harrison, University Alabama in Huntsville
Softball | Pitcher/Utility
Senior | Mobile, Ala.
Kinesiology/Exercise Science | 3.57 Overall G.P.A.
During her four years at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Tyler Harrison has exemplified the character, work ethic and determination that is necessary for a team leader and a member of the GSC Top Ten.
The GSC Pitcher of the Year ranked as the top pitcher in the best DII softball league in the country, ranking first in strikeouts (177) and second in wins (21) and earned-run average (1.86). She was named First Team All-Region by the D2CCA and earned First Team All-GSC for the second year in a row.
The Mobile, Ala. native recorded a 3.57 GPA in Kinesiology and Exercise Science, achieving GSC All-Academic Team laurels for the third consecutive year. She made the UAH College of Education Dean's List and was the recipient of the Pamela Mitchell Memorial Scholarship. Harrison earned the UAH Bronze Award from 2014-16 and she finished with the Silver Award in 2017.
Her on-campus activities include leadership stints with the UAH Student Athlete Mentors and UAH Fellowship of Christian Athletes programs. In Huntsville, she volunteered for the Down Rescue Mission and the Manna House and worked with the FCA at the Iron Bowl Breakfast and Power Leadership Training Camp.
Alex Peyrot, University of West Florida
Tennis
Senior | Castelnaudary, France
Comprehensive Economics | 3.50 Overall G.P.A.
Alex Peyrot's career at the University of West Florida ended the same way it began in 2014 as he helped lead the Argonauts to a NCAA DII National Title. His impressive efforts on the court and in the class room are prime examples of a GSC Top Ten winner.
The Castelnaudary, France native made the most of his time in Pensacola, becoming just the sixth player in league history to be named First Team All-GSC four times. He hopes to also push that streak nationally after posting three straight ITA All-American Singles nods along with another in Doubles. The Co-GSC Player of the Year compiled a 17-4 singles record in 2017 as was part of the nation's No. 1 doubles team which went 26-3.
Peyrot's list of accolades continued in his academic work as well. He is a four-time GSC Academic Honor Roll member and has advanced to the All-Academic Team in 2015 and 2016. Nationally, he was named a ITA Scholar Athlete in 2015 and 2016 and was an ADA Academic Achievement Award recipient. He closed out his undergrad career with a 3.50 GPA in Comprehensive Economics and he was a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma honor society.
Off-campus, Peyrot helped administer youth clinics around the Pensacola area at the annual Pink Ribbon Tennis Tournament and the USTA Pensacola Futures Tournament. He also participated in the Argies Reading and Recess program where UWF student-athletes visit local elementary schools 1-2 times per month.
Tyler Sullivan, Delta State University
Football | Quarterback
Senior | Louisville, Miss.
Biology | 3.68 Overall G.P.A.
Tyler Sullivan returns to the GSC Top Ten for the second time after completing an impressive career of leadership on and off the gridiron at Delta State University.
The Louisville, Miss. impressed the DSU faithful since his freshman season when he was tabbed GSC Freshman of the Year. He completed his career ranked second in the school history with 9,157 yards passing and 9,684 yards of total offense. His 14 touchdown tosses this year helped him rank fifth in the league record books at 76.
The team captain also led in the classroom, compiling a 3.68 grade-point average as a Biology major. He is a three-time member of the GSC All-Academic Team and he was also a three-time Daktronics All-Region All-Academic winner. Sullivan was part of the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship Program and he was a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy that awards an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship.
Sullivan's on-campus contributions include serving as DSU's Football SAAC representative and participanting in the University President's Leadership Class.
Community service off-campus was important to Sullivan as evidence by participation in the Pearman Elementary School and Presbyterian Day School reading programs. He also served as a community volunteer at "The Big Event" and "Trunk or Treat" local events.
Jacob Tucker, University of North Alabama
Football | Quarterback
Senior | Linden, Tenn.
Biology | 3.39 Overall G.P.A.
Jacob Tucker's patience paid off in 2016 as he took centerstage for the University of North Alabama squad, leading them to their fourth consecutive GSC Title and berth in the NCAA DII Title Game.
The Linden, Tenn. native served as the back-up quarterback to fellow GSC Top Ten winner Luke Wingo for four seasons, but when his number was called he kept the winning tradition going at UNA. Tucker was named the GSC Offensive Player of the Year and he was also tabbed Regional Player of the Year by Don Hansen and the D2CCA. He finished in third place in the Harlon Hill Trophy voting and was tabbed All-American by D2Football.com and Don Hansen. The two-time GSC Player of the Week set the school record for Most Touchdowns Responsible For in a season (37) and ranked second in the league in total offense (289.8).
Tucker completed his Biology major with a 3.39 GPA and he posted back-to-back GSC All-Academic Team honors. He was twice named the UNA Athletic Director Scholar Athlete, earned the UNA Male Student-Athlete of the Year and took home the UNA Lion King as the top all-around student-athlete at the university. Tucker served as the President of the UNA SAAC and was Vice-Chair of the GSC SAAC.
Tucker served as the athletic department representative at the UNA Culture Fest and UNA "The Deal Pep Rally." Locally, he participated in the reading programs at the Kilby School and Harlan Elementary School, the Florence Middle School Mentoring Program and the Lauderdale County Anti-Bullying Program.
Emily Vogler, University of West Florida
Women's Soccer | Defender
Graduate | Lynn Haven, Fla.
Business Administration | 3.68 Overall G.P.A.
Emily Vogler saved her best for last, leading the University of West Florida to another GSC Title and a spot in the NCAA National Tournament.
The team captain was one of the top defenders in the nation, earning the respect of opposing players and coaches. She was named to the D2CCA All-America Second Team and was tabbed First Team All-Region by the D2CCA and the NSCAA. Vogler finished second in the league in goals (12). She added to her First Team All-GSC honor by also being named the GSC Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
Vogler is currently in the MBA program at UWF after graduating with a 3.68 GPA. She was voted Second Team Academic All-American by CoSIDA and the NSCAA after also posting All-Region recognition by those organizations. The Lynn Haven, Fla. native posted her second straight GSC All-Academic Team laurel and her third consecutive Honor Roll designation.
Vogler has spent the last five years working with the Oyster Reef Restoration Project which builds near-shore oyster reefs for living shoreline projects. She visited the Ronald McDonald House every semester and spent time at the Golden Harvest Food Bank in Evans, Ga.
Jacob Whitney, Union University
Cross Country
Senior | Chandler, Ariz.
Cell and Molecular Biology | 3.60 Overall G.P.A.
Union University secured its first-ever men's GSC Top Ten winner when Jacob Whitney ran his way to honors after a brilliant four-year career.
Whitney's final three years as a Bulldog set a new standard for future cross country runners at the university. The Chandler, Ariz. native was a three-time All-GSC First Team performer thanks to Top 10 efforts at the last three GSC Championship Meets and he also garnered First-Team All-Region accolades the last three years as well, including a 17
th-place time in 2016. He collected GSC Runner of the Week honors September 28.
The Cell and Molecular Biology graduate placed a 3.60 GPA and was voted to the GSC All-Academic Team three years in a row. He is a two-time USTFCCCA All-Academic All-American and helped the Bulldogs earn the highest team GPA in the nation in 2016. Whitney also grabbed the D2ADA Academic Achievement award a year ago. He has been a regular on the Dean's List at Union, making the list four times.
Off-campus, he has served as a Young Life program leader and participated all four years in the Campus and Community Day.
