HPU’s Shawn Sloan named a Christenberry Award Recipient by the Big South Conference (Men’s Soccer)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Big South Conference announced on Tuesday that Shawn Sloan of the High Point men’s soccer team was awarded the Conference’s prestigious George A. Christenberry Award for Academic Excellence. The award is given to the male and female student-athletes who attain the highest GPA during their college careers.

Sloan is one of seven Big South athletes to receive the award along with Campbell’s Brandon Wilson (Baseball) and Laura Verschuren (Cross Country/Track), Coastal Carolina’s Justin Creel (Baseball), Liberty’s Patrick Kelly (Football) and Lauren Stell (Women’s Soccer) and Radford’s Megan Rhodes (Women’s Soccer).

“We are excited that Shawn continues to recognized for his great career here at High point both on the field and in the classroom,” HPU men’s soccer head coach Dustin Fonder said. “Shawn has meant a tremendous amount to our program, not only as a player but as an ambassador. He is a guy that we want our players to look up to and emulate. Hopefully he has left a legacy of academic excellence that other will strive to match.”

Sloan graduated in the fall with a degree in biochemistry, finishing with a perfect 4.0 GPA. He was named a first-team Capital One Academic All-American this past season and is a two-time Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He is a four-time Millis Scholar-athlete and a three-time Big South Presidential Honor Roll member. Sloan was previously named a Capital One Academic All-American in 2010 and is a three-time winner of the E. Vance Davis Scholar-Athlete Award, which is given annually to HPU’s top male scholar-athlete.

The midfielder finished his HPU career with 75 points on 24 goals and 27 assists in four years. He is second in the HPU Div. I career record book in both points and assists and third in goals. In 2012, Sloan played in 15 games with 14 starts and finished second on the team with 22 points on six goals and a team-high 10 assists. Sloan finished second in the Big South and tied for eighth in the nation in total assists. His rate of 0.67 assists per game was third in the nation. Sloan is a two-time NSCAA All-Region selection and a four-time All-Big South first-team member.

Sloan was drafted and signed by the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer in January. He intends to attend medical school when he finishes his professional career.

Sloan is the sixth HPU student-athletes to earn the Christenberry Award. Brielle Spencer (women’s soccer), Leslie Cook (women’s basketball), Kevin Burch (Baseball), Maya Latinovic (Tennis) and Mirva Maenpaa (Tennis) all previously won the award.

Big South member institutions nominate one male and one female student-athlete — regardless if the sport is sponsored by the Big South — for the annual Christenberry Award. The honor is named for George A. Christenberry, the former President of Augusta College (now Augusta State University) and one of the founders of the Big South Conference. A member of the Big South Hall of Fame, Christenberry served as the League’s first President from 1983-86.

“The Christenberry Award is the highest academic honor awarded to Big South student-athletes,” said Big South Conference Commissioner Kyle B. Kallander. “It is incredible to think that six individuals completed their academic career with perfect GPAs, especially with the demands placed on them as student-athletes. We congratulate Justin, Pat, Megan, Shawn, Lauren and Laura for their accomplishments in the classroom and on the field of play. Their careers truly exemplify the highest ideals of the Big South Conference.”

The Conference will formally present the awards on May 30 at The Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Va., as part of the League’s Spring Meetings and Hall of Fame Dinner. The six honorees this year is anew league record.