IRVING, Texas – The American Conference has announced that Charlotte cross country athlete Bryce Anderson and Tulane swimmer Olcaytu Hatipoglu have been chosen as the winners of the 2025-26 Commissioner’s Postgraduate Leadership Awards by the conference’s Academic Committee.

The awards are given annually to one male and one female student-athlete from an American-sponsored sport who have been admitted to a degree-granting or professional program for the following year and who have demonstrated leadership through excellence in academic credentials, athletic performance and depth of commitment to service within the institution or the community.

Anderson and Hatipoglu will each receive a $5,000 scholarship, which may be applied to postgraduate study.

Anderson is the first Charlotte student-athlete to earn a Commissioner’s Postgraduate Leadership Award since the 49ers joined the American. A native of Harrisburg, North Carolina, Anderson earned four all-conference honors in his career in both cross country (11th place in 2025) and indoor track (third place DMR in 2024, runner-up in 2025; runner-up in the mile in 2023). Charlotte swept the 2022 and 2023 conference indoor and outdoor track and field crowns while Anderson was a team member.

Anderson graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and a minor in chemistry, and earned a graduate certificate in biomedical sciences from Charlotte. Anderson plans to apply to M.D. and D.O. programs for additional postgraduate study. He was a three-time conference academic all-conference selection and was named to the Charlotte Chancellor’s List seven times in recognition of having a GPA between 3.8 and 4.0. Anderson also completed community service hours as an emergency department volunteer with the Matthews Medical Center in North Carolina, assisting in department operations while supporting patients and their families receiving care at the medical center.

Hatipoglu is the third Tulane student-athlete to earn a Commissioner’s Postgraduate Leadership Award. She helped the Green Wave capture two conference titles in both the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays at the 2025 American Championships. Hatipoglu added additional all-conference honors in the 50 freestyle at the 2025 conference championships meet. Hatipoglu finished her career ranked in the top 10 of the Tulane record book in the 50 freestyle and appeared seven times in the top 10 of various relay events.

A native of Edirne, Turkey, Hatipoglu graduated from Tulane with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree in biomedical engineering. Hatipoglu plans to pursue a PhD in biomedical engineering. Hatipoglu was awarded the Tulane 34 Award at the 2026 senior awards ceremony, given in recognition of exceptional leadership, service and academic distinction. She also received the Frederick A. Fox Activity Award commending outstanding leadership, service, involvement and contributions to engineering. Hatipoglu completed a Vanderbilt Internship in Biophotonics for Emerging Scholars in the summer of 2025, served as a peer tutor in the academic learning and tutoring center at Tulane and was a peer mentor in Tulane’s TU Thrive program and an international student peer advisor.

Commissioner’s Postgraduate Leadership Award
The Commissioner’s Postgraduate Leadership Award is presented annually to two student-athletes (one male, one female) who have demonstrated leadership through excellence in academic credentials, outstanding athletic performance and depth of commitment in service within the institution and/or in the community.
 

2013-14	Zach Willis, Baseball, Memphis
	Jackie Wattles, Volleyball, UConn
2014-15	Keenan Joyner, Track and Field, Memphis
	Julie Kernen, Softball, Tulsa
2015-16	Julien Dodu, Swimming & Diving, East Carolina
	Hannah Emnett, Rowing, Tulsa
2016-17	Kirk Smith, Cross Country/Track and Field, Tulsa
	Juliana Madzia, Cross Country/Track and Field, Cincinnati
2017-18	Chandler Klemm, Soccer, Memphis
	Vendela Norman, Swimming & Diving, East Carolina
2018-19	Austin Allen, Tennis, East Carolina
	Enna Selmanovic, Swimming & Diving, Cincinnati
2019-20	Din Selmanovic, Swimming & Diving, Cincinnati
	Stasia Mallin, Soccer, Memphis
2020-21	Alec Trela, Baseball, Memphis
	Jeni Griffin, Swimming & Diving, Tulane
2021-22	Chonnor Ludolph, Track and Field, Wichita State
	Michelle Joyce, Cross Country/Track and Field, Temple
2022-23	Johann Jeremiah, Track and Field, South Florida
	Sophia LoCicero, Lacrosse, East Carolina
2023-24	Travis Dowd, Cross Country, Rice
	Olivia Valbak, Softball, UAB
2024-25	Logan Longo, Soccer, Memphis
	Janae Dean, Track and Field, Tulane
2025-26	Bryce Anderson, Cross Country, Charlotte
	Olcaytu Hatipoglu, Swimming and Diving, Tulane