ANDERSON, S.C. – Anderson University volleyball standout Marissa Mitter and men's cross country and track & field standout Mason Hazel were honored as the Female and Male Athletes of the Year, respectively, at AU Athletics' Senior Awards Banquet Sunday evening at the G. Ross Anderson Jr. Student Center.
Mitter, a senior, helped lead the Trojans to their first-ever regular-season conference championship and a school-record 22-match win streak, while posting the most wins in a single season in program history. The Redondo Beach, Calif., native was the only player in the in the SAC to have more than 400 kills and at least 300 digs on the season and posted 16 double-doubles this season, while reaching double-figure kills in 25 matches.
She garnered South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week accolades on four occasions last season, while leading the conference in both kills and points. Mitter was named First-Team All-SAC and earned All Southeast Region accolades from both the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). She also earned a spot on the SAC All-Tournament Team and the Southeast Region All-Tournament Team.
A two-time First-Team All-South Atlantic Conference honoree, Mitter ranks in the top-10 in kills in the AU record books.
Hazel, who is also a senior, posted a career-best time at the 2017 SAC Cross Country Championships, while helping lead the Trojans to a third-place finish, as he captured First-Team All-SAC honors for the third straight season. He went on to claim All-Southeast Region honors for the fourth consecutive year and earned a berth in the NCAA National Championships in Evansville. Ind.
On the strength of his personal-best time in the 5,000 meter run at the Grand Valley State Holiday Open in early December, Hazel earned a spot in the 2018 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, while recording the 17th-fastest time in the nation. The native of Summerville, S.C., won the 3,000 meter run at the JDL Last Chance Invitational in Winston-Salem, N.C. and finished second in the 5,000 meters at the inaugural South Atlantic Conference Indoor Championships.
Hazel set a school record in the 10,000 meter run at the Raleigh Relays in late March and earned First-Team All-Conference accolades by winning the 5,000 meter run at the SAC Outdoor Championships and finished second in the 10,000 meters.
In addition to the male and female Athlete of the Year recognition, several other accolades were handed out during the ceremony.
AU Senior Awards Banquet
ED OXFORD MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Mason Hazel, Men's Cross Country and Track & Field
ED OXFORD FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Marissa Mitter, Volleyball
MALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Andrew Boynton, Men's Basketball
FEMALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Alexis Dillard, Women's Basketball
TROJAN CLUB FAN OF THE YEAR
Austin Cates
CHI ALPHA SIGMA HONOR SOCIETY
Abigail Bozarth, Women's Cross Country/Track and Field
Laura Dean, Women's Tennis
John Drummond, Men's Cross Country/Track and Field
Lyssa Engle, Women's Soccer
Kristin Herbert, Women's Soccer
Ashley Hughes, Cheer
Lindsey Hughes, Cheer
Kaylee Koerperich, Women's Basketball
Remi Lesterlou, Men's Soccer
Haylee Love, Women's Cross Country/Track and Field
Mallory McFerron, Volleyball
Tyler Miller, Baseball
Marissa Mitter, Volleyball
Taylor Morris, Women's Cross Country/Track and Field
Allison Oxner, Softball
Emily Pitts, Women's Cross Country/Track and Field
Caleb Stephenson, Track and Field
William Thomas, Baseball
Erin Tuten, Cheer
Ramiro Urreta, Men's Tennis
Rachael Whaling, Women's Soccer
