Sangamon Sun

SIUE women's tennis standout Jill Lambrechts has been selected to receive the prestigious Ohio Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete Award for 2022-23. The award is the highest individual honor that can be earned by OVC student-athletes and is given annually to three men and three women student-athletes for their accomplishments in both the classroom and athletic arena, and because of their leadership qualities. 

The six winners were selected from a group of finalists by a vote of OVC Faculty Athletics Representatives. Honorees must have performed athletically with distinction, earned at least a 3.5 grade-point average and conducted themselves in a manner which has brought credit to the student-athlete, his or her institution, intercollegiate athletics and the OVC. The award is based on academic and athletic criteria/accomplishments achieved during the 2021-22 school year.

The other 2022-23 Ohio Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete winners are: Anton Albers of Little Rock (golf), MacKenzie Neal of Morehead State (golf), Jun Sasagawa of Tennessee Tech (tennis), Bryce Ward of Morehead State (rifle) and Ruby Wyles of Tennessee Tech (cross country/track & field).

Below is a bio on each award honoree.

Jill Lambrechts – Lambrechts plays at the top of the lineup for the SIUE tennis team. A year ago she led the Cougars with a 22-4 singles record, including 6-1 mark in OVC play, while also compiling a mark of 13-7 as a doubles competitor. Those statistics earned her OVC Co-Player of the Year honors, as well as being first-team All-OVC and also selected as an All-OVC Doubles Team. In the classroom she has a perfect 4.0 grade point average in biology (genetics and cellular) with minors in mathematics and chemistry. She has earned the OVC Academic Medal of Honor in addition to being named an ITA Scholar-Athlete and last year earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors, making her one of just nine tennis student-athletes to make the 48-person At-Large Team. She is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), the SIUE Athletics E-Within Leadership Committee and serves as a research assistant with the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) Program in chemistry.

Anton Albers – Albers has been the captain of the Little Rock golf team the past three seasons while ranking as Trojans top player. A season ago he a Division I PING Honorable Mention All-American after being named conference Golfer of the Year and first-team all-league and ranking No. 30 nationally in the GolfStat rankings. During the year he set the school record for season scoring average (70.97) as well as the program records for Par 4 and Par 5 scoring and tied the school record with a round of 64 twice during the season. In the classroom he has a 3.96 grade point average in finance. He has been named to the Chancellor's List all four years in school, has been named a Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-American Scholar multiple times and was a CoSIDA Academic All-America selection last season.MacKenzie Neal – Neal is in her fourth season with the Morehead State golf team. A team captain, she finished the 2021-22 season tied for third in the OVC in stroke average (75.6), tallying a pair of top five finishes and being named All-OVC for the second-straight season. At the OVC Championship she finished with a 54-hole total of 217 (+1), which earned her runner-up honors, while helping the Eagles finish second as a team. In the classroom she has a perfect 4.0 grade point average and is majoring in Biomedical Science (pre-med). She was selected as an All-American Scholar by the Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) and has earned multiple OVC Academic Medal of Honor awards in addition to being named to the MSU Dean's List. Neal is also a member of the MSU Pre-Medicine Club, serving as the Officer of Finance, and is also a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). She has also volunteered for numerous activities, including raising money for eastern Kentucky flood victims and volunteering at elementary schools. Neal also participates in the Southeast AHEC STEPS program which is designed for pre-med students pursuing careers in medicine in Kentucky.

Jun Sasagawa – Sasagawa is a member of the Tennessee Tech men's tennis team. After transferring to TTU after his freshman season, he earned a national-ranking as a double team (with Evzen Holis) for a team that would win the OVC regular season championship. Last year he was 11-11 overall, including a 5-2 OVC mark, for a squad that won the OVC Tournament Championship. In the classroom he has a 3.95 grade point average in sports administration, as a member of the Tennessee Tech Honors Program. He has earned the OVC Academic Medal of Honor, the 2022 President's Award and been a multiple time selection to the TTU Dean's List. He also serves as Vice President of The Welcoming of TTU Student Organization, which has a focus on bringing international students to campus.Bryce Ward – Ward in a member of the Morehead State rifle team, serving as a team captain for the Eagles. A year ago he was first on the team in combined score and established a new school record for season-high smallbore score (589-39x). He earned first-team All-OVC honors in smallbore and second-team honors in air rifle. He was named MSU's most improved shooter. In the classroom he completed his degree in accounting in spring 2022 graduating summa cum laude with a 3.9 grade point average. He is currently pursuing a MBA. He has earned multiple OVC Academic Medal of Honors and MSU Dean's List awards. On campus he earned the Eagle Elite Award, voted on by fellow student-athletes and given to someone who exemplifies true MSU pride and spirit. He currently serves as the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President and also as an officer with the Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society and the Phi Beta Lambda Future Business Leaders of America. Ward has volunteered with numerous organizations, including the Second Harvest Food Bank, Reading Across America and Build-A-Bed.

Ruby Wyles – Wyles is a member of the Tennessee Tech cross country and track and field squads. In her debut season with the cross country team, she was named OVC Freshman of the Year and then placed 12th at the OVC Championship, earning second-team All-OVC honors and then posting a PR in the 6K at the NCAA South Regionals. She won the 5000 meters at the OVC Indoor Championship and placed fourth in the 3000 meters. At the OVC Outdoor Championship she was fourth in the 10,000 meters and sixth in the 5000 meters. For her work, she was named the 2022 TTU Female Freshman Athlete of the Year. In the classroom she carries a 4.0 grade point average in exercise science. She earned the 2022 Undergraduate Research Award from the College of Education and the OVC Academic Medal of Honor. Wyles also serves as a teaching assistant in the Chemistry Department and helps tutor high school students in a variety of subjects. The also helped create The Oval Magazine, which covers cross country and track and field.

Other nominees for the Scholar-Athlete Award were: Mackenzie Balcerak of Eastern Illinois (soccer), Maria Castaldo of UT Martin (soccer), Shelby Dunlap of Little Rock (track & field), Bryson Morrell of UT Martin (golf) and Thomas Wallace of Eastern Illinois (tennis).

Original source can be found here.