IRVING, Texas – Charlotte golf player Justin Matthews and Rice track and field national champion Mckyla Van der Westhuizen have been named the 2025-26 American Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Year, as chosen by the conference’s Academic Committee.
Matthews, who was selected as the American’s Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and Van der Westhuizen, the American’s Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, will each receive a total of $4,000 in postgraduate financial scholarships. Matthews and Van der Westhuizen were chosen from a group of 20 other individual sport Scholar-Athletes of the Year who will receive $2,000 postgraduate scholarships.
Matthews, a native of Little Britain Ontario, Canada, is a two-time American all-conference golf player at Charlotte with back-to-back individual top 10 finishes at the American Men’s Golf Championship. Matthews has helped guide the 49ers to consecutive team conference titles in both 2025 and 2026, ultimately finishing tied for fifth individually at the 2026 NCAA Corvalis Regional in Oregon. Matthews was ranked in the top 100 of the Clippd national rankings throughout the 2025-26 season, reaching a peak ranking of 49. He also finished this past season with the best single-season stroke average in program history at 70.1.
Matthews graduated with a 3.58 cumulative grade-point average and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in finance, and has re-enrolled as a second degree seeking undergraduate in operations and supply chain management at Charlotte. He has been selected to the Charlotte Dean’s List seven times and earned academic all-conference and Golf Coaches Association of America Academic All-America accolades each of the past three years. Matthews intends to turn professional in the summer of 2027.
Van der Westhuizen, who hails from Gauteng, South Africa, captured the first women’s track and field individual national championship in the American since 2017 by winning the javelin throw competition at the 2026 NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships with a conference record throw of 60.87m (199-8.0). Van der Westhuizen was a first-team All-America finisher in each of the past three outdoor seasons, adding a third-place NCAA javelin finish in 2024, and was a three-time conference champion consecutively outdoors in the event.
Van der Westhuizen earned a 3.75 grade-point average as an undergraduate, completing a Bachelor of Arts degree while majoring in German studies and sports medicine/exercise physiology. Along with being the American women’s outdoor track and field Scholar-Athlete of the Year in both 2025 and 2026, Van der Westhuizen was a College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-American in 2025. Van der Westhuizen was also recognized on the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team in 2024 and 2025, was twice named to the Rice President’s Honor Roll and captured the Rice Scholar Athlete Award in 2025.
Selections for the 22 Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards, as well as the Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors, are made by the Academic Committee on the basis of academic credentials and athletic performance. Each conference school may nominate one student-athlete per sport who has achieved senior academic standing as determined by the institution. A winner is chosen from each of the conference’s 20 sponsored sports in addition to at-large selections from sports not sponsored by the conference.
The complete list of 2025-26 winners and historical Scholar-Athletes of the Year are on the following pages.
2025-26 American Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Year
The American Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards are among of a number of scholarships presented by the conference during the academic year.
The conference has presented individual sport Scholar-Athletes of the Year in baseball, men’s basketball and women’s basketball since the 2013-14 season. The conference has presented individual awards in all other sports beginning with the 2017-18 season.
2025-26 American Conference Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Justin Matthews, Charlotte (Golf)
2025-26 American Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Mckyla Van der Westhuizen, Rice (Track and Field)
2025-26 American Conference Sport-By-Sport Scholar-Athletes of the Year
| Sport |
Student-Athlete |
School |
Highlights |
| Baseball |
Jack Herring |
East Carolina |
Second-team all-conference and all-region; CSC Academic All-America Third Team |
| Men’s Basketball |
Jordan Riley |
East Carolina |
First-team all-conference; second-team all-region |
| Women’s Basketball |
Amira Mabry |
Tulane |
CSC Academic All-District; 1,000-point career scorer |
| Men’s Cross Country |
Rogerio Amaral |
Tulane |
All-conference selection; USTFCCCA All-Region; USTFCCCA All-Academic Athlete |
| Women’s Cross Country |
Amelie Attenborough |
Rice |
Two-time recipient of the award; 2025 American indoor champion in the DMR |
| Football |
Andon Thomas |
Army |
2025 all-conference second team; 2024 CSC Academic All-America |
| Men’s Golf |
Justin Matthews |
Charlotte |
2X all-conference team; GCAA/PING Division I All-Region; CSC Academic All-District |
| Women’s Golf |
Carolin Alblas |
Florida Atlantic |
Runner-up at the 2026 PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship |
| Women’s Lacrosse |
Emma Magazu |
East Carolina |
Two-time first team all-conference; 2026 American Defensive Player of the Year |
| Men’s Soccer |
Rocco Haeufgloeckner |
Temple |
Temple’s JoAnne Epps Male Scholar Athlete of the Year |
| Women’s Soccer |
Finley Lavin |
Memphis |
United Soccer Coaches First Team All-America; MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalist |
| Softball |
Autumn Courtney |
Florida Atlantic |
2025 NFCA All-America Third Team & American Pitcher of the Year; 2X all-conf. |
| Women’s Swimming and Diving |
Andrea Zeebe |
Tulane |
Two-time recipient of the award; American champion in 800 free relay in 2025 |
| Men’s Tennis |
Petro Kuzmenok |
Rice |
‘26 American Player of the Year; ITA Scholar-Athlete; 2X CSC Academic All-District |
| Women’s Tennis |
Carolina Laydner |
North Texas |
All-conference selection; CSC Academic All-District |
| Men’s Indoor Track and Field |
Zak Freeland |
Charlotte |
2026 American indoor champion in the DMR; CSC Academic All-District |
| Women’s Indoor Track and Field |
Josie Taylor |
Rice |
2026 all-conference in the high jump; 2024 outdoor high jump conference champ |
| Men’s Outdoor Track and Field |
Ty Hampton |
Rice |
2026 American Outdoor Champion in the javelin; ‘26 NCAA HR All-America in javelin |
| Women’s Outdoor Track and Field |
McKyla Van der Westhuizen |
Rice |
2x recipient of award; 2026 NCAA Champion in the javelin; 3x American champion |
| Women’s Volleyball |
Annika Thompson |
Charlotte |
‘25 American Libero of the Year; all-conference 1st team; CSC Academic All-District |
| Men’s At-Large (Swim and Dive) |
Daniel Laureyssens |
Florida Atlantic |
2026 ASUN Male Most Outstanding Swimmer; ASUN 200 free record holder |
| Women’s At-Large (Rifle) |
Gabriela Zych |
Memphis |
2025 USA Shooting 50m Women's Smallbore Champion; 2024 NCAA Elite 90 award |
All-Time American Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Year
The American Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards are among of a number of scholarships presented by the conference during the academic year. One male and one female from each of the conference’s member institutions may be named as the winners of the conference’s Institutional Scholar-Athlete Scholarships. The conference has presented individual sport Scholar-Athletes of the Year in baseball, men’s basketball and women’s basketball since the 2013-14 season. The conference has presented individual awards in all other sports beginning with the 2017-18 season.
Male Scholar-Athletes of the Year
2013-14 Vaughn Spurrier, Soccer, Temple
2014-15 Brian Barney, Track and Field, Cincinnati
2015-16 Blair Hamilton, Golf, Houston
2016-17 Adrian Valles, Track and Field, Cincinnati
2017-18 Adrian Valles, Track and Field, Cincinnati
2018-19 Jake Agnos, Baseball, East Carolina
2019-20 Alec Burleson, Baseball, East Carolina
2020-21 Patrick Dever, Cross Country, Tulsa
2021-22 Griffin Merritt, Baseball, Cincinnati
2022-23 Brock Rodden, Baseball, Wichita State
2023-24 Jackson Caldwell, Cross Country, Wichita State
2024-25 James Taussig, Baseball, UTSA
2025-26 Justin Matthews, Golf, Charlotte
Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year
2013-14 Nicole Scott, Swimming & Diving, Rutgers
2014-15 Kadi Kullerkann, Volleyball, Houston
2015-16 Avery Acker, Volleyball, SMU
2016-17 Micaela Bouter, Swimming and Diving, Houston
2017-18 Mikaela Raudsepp, Volleyball, Wichita State
2018-19 Leonie Harm, Golf, Houston
2019-20 Caitlin Klopfer, Cross Country, Tulsa
2020-21 Georgina Corrick, Softball, South Florida
2021-22 McKenna Melville, Volleyball, UCF
2022-23 Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, Basketball, South Florida
2023-24 Riley Felts, Track and Field, Charlotte
2024-25 Georgia Brown, Soccer, South Florida
2025-26 Mckyla Van der Westhuizen, Track and Field, Rice
Football Scholar-Athletes of the Year
2013-14 Ryan Alderman, Temple
2014-15 Charles Harris, Memphis
2015-16 Ryan Leahy, Cincinnati
E.K. Binns, Navy
2016-17 Jake Elliott, Memphis
2017-18 Auggie Sanchez, South Florida
2018-19 Matt Hennessy, Temple
2019-20 Matt Hennessy, Temple
2020-21 Shane Buechele, SMU
2021-22 Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
2022-23 Jason Johnson, UCF
2023-24 Lucas Dean, UTSA
2024-25 Bryson Daily, Army
2025-26 Andon Thomas, Army
Men’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2013-14 Jimmy McDonnell, Temple
2014-15 Pat Lenehan, UConn
2015-16 Shaquille Harrison, Tulsa
2016-17 Semi Ojeyele, SMU
2017-18 Obi Enechionyia, Temple
2018-19 Tacko Fall, UCF
2019-20 Martins Igbanu, Tulsa
2020-21 Chris Vogt, Cincinnati
2021-22 Ludgy Debaut, East Carolina
2022-23 Sam Hines Jr., South Florida
2023-24 Max Fiedler, Rice
2024-25 Xavier Bell, Wichita State
2025-26 Jordan Riley, East Carolina
Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2013-14 Antonita Slaughter, Louisville
2014-15 Jamie Kaplan, Tulane
2015-16 Courtney Williams, USF
2016-17 Leslie Vorpahl, Tulane
2017-18 Ktija Laksa, USF
2018-19 Katie Lou Samuelson, UConn
2019-20 Antoinette Miller, Cincinnati
2020-21 Rebecca Lescay, Tulsa
2021-22 Elena Tsineke, South Florida
2022-23 Dulcy Fankam Mendjiadeu, South Florida
2023-24 Dazia Lawrence, Charlotte
2024-25 Synia Johnson, East Carolina
2025-26 Amira Mabry, Tulane
Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2017-18 Connor McVey, Cincinnati
2018-19 Jake Agnos, East Carolina
2019-20 Alec Burleson, East Carolina
2020-21 Alec Trela, Memphis
2021-22 Griffin Merritt, Cincinnati
2022-23 Brock Rodden, Wichita State
2023-24 Carter Cunningham, East Carolina
2024-25 James Taussig, UTSA
2025-26 Jack Herring, East Carolina
Men’s Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2017-18 Adam Rodrique, Tulsa
2018-19 Emmanuel Rotich, Tulane
2019-20 Kevin Lapsansky, Temple
2020-21 Patrick Dever, Tulsa
2021-22 Scott Beattie, Tulsa
2022-23 Isaac Akers, Tulsa
2023-24 Jackson Caldwell, Wichita State
2024-25 Ryan Adkins, Tulane
2025-26 Rogerio Amaral, Tulane
Women’s Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2017-18 Lauren Bartels, Tulane
2018-19 Alyssa Bolliger, Tulsa
2019-20 Caitlin Klopfer, Tulsa
2020-21 Caitlin Klopfer, Tulsa
2021-22 Caroline Miller, Tulsa
2022-23 Kat Pesendorfer, Tulsa
2023-24 Lauren Johnston, Charlotte
2024-25 Amelie Attenborough, Rice
2025-26 Amelie Attenborough, Rice
Men’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2017-18 Davis Baxter, Cincinnati
2018-19 Austin Squires, Cincinnati
2019-20 Patrick Stephenson, East Carolina
2020-21 Albin Bergstrom, South Florida
2021-22 Luke Gifford, South Florida
2022-23 Samuel Jean, Cincinnati
2023-24 Jake Peacock, South Florida
2024-25 Jake Peacosk, South Florida
2025-26 Justin Matthews, Charlotte
Women’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2017-18 Megan Thothong, Houston
2018-19 Leonie Harm, Houston
2019-20 Dorthea Forbrigd, East Carolina
2020-21 Dorthea Forbrigd, East Carolina
2021-22 Kathryn Carson, East Carolina
2022-23 Lilly Thomas, Tulsa
2023-24 Melanie Green, South Florida
2024-25 Lovisa Gunnar, Tulsa
2025-26 Carolin Alblas, Florida Atlantic
Women’s Lacrosse Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2018-19 Maddie Gebert, Temple
2019-20 Megan Pallozzi, East Carolina
2020-21 Courtney Taylor, Temple
2021-22 Kylie Nause, Cincinnati
2022-23 Belle Mastropietro, Temple
2023-24 Belle Mastropietro, Temple
2024-25 Gianna Cutaia, Charlotte
2025-26 Emma Magazu, East Carolina
Men’s Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2017-18 Matias Pyysalo, UCF
2018-19 David Zalzman, Memphis
2019-20 Cal Jennings, UCF
2020-21 Yannik Oettl, UCF
2021-22 Maxi Galizzi, Memphis
2022-23 Knut Ahlander, SMU
2023-24 Philip Spenger, South Florida
2024-25 Logan Longo, Memphis
2025-26 Rocco Haeufgloeckner, Temple
Women’s Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2017-18 Vanessa Giles, Cincinnati
2018-19 Lizzie Woerner, Memphis
2019-20 Stasia Mallin, Memphis
2020-21 Elizabeth Moberg, Memphis
2021-22 Elizabeth Moberg, Memphis
2022-23 Mya Jones, Memphis
2023-24 Mya Jones, Memphis
2024-25 Georgia Brown, South. Florida
2025-26 Finley Lavin, Memphis
Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2017-18 Emily Watson, Tulsa
2018-19 Savannah Heebner, Houston
2019-20 Alea White, UCF
2020-21 Georgina Corrick, South Florida
2021-22 Gracie Morton, Memphis
2022-23 Shannon Doherty, UCF
2023-24 Addison Barnard, Wichita State
2024-25 Lauren Lucas, Wichita State
2025-26 Autumn Courtney, Florida Atlantic
Women’s Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2017-18 Micaela Bouter, Houston
2018-19 Peyton Kondis, Houston
2019-20 Zarena Brown, Houston
2020-21 Kate McDonald, Tulane
2021-22 Iza Pelka, Tulane
2022-23 Nicole Stambo, SMU
2023-24 Imogen Meers, Rice
2024-25 Andrea Zeebe, Tulane
2025-26 Andrea Zeebe, Tulane
Men’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2017-18 Constantin Schmitz, Tulane
2018-19 Majed Kilani, Tulsa
2019-20 Paolo Cucalon, Temple
2020-21 Gabriel Decamps, UCF
2021-22 Kody Pearson, Tulsa
2022-23 Thibault Frumholtz, Temple
2023-24 Alvin Tudorica, South Florida
2024-25 Danijal Muminovic, UTSA
2025-26 Petro Kuzmenok, Rice
Women’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2017-18 Monica Matias, UCF
2018-19 Martha Matoula, Tulsa
2019-20 Martina Okalova, Tulsa
2020-21 Ksenia Kuznetsova, UCF
2021-22 Marie Mattel, UCF
2022-23 Marie Mattel, UCF
2023-24 Taylor Johnson, SMU
2024-25 Darya Schwartzman, Rice
2025-26 Carolina Laydner, North Texas
Men’s Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2017-18 Adrian Valles, Cincinnati
2018-19 Olushola Olojo, Memphis
2019-20 Damien Berthenet, Cincinnati
2020-21 Henry Visser, Tulsa
2021-22 Michael Bryan, Wichita State
2022-23 Starrett Vesper, East Carolina
2023-24 Shaun Kerry, Rice
2024-25 Hudson Bailey, Wichita State
2025-26 Zak Freeland, Charlotte
Women’s Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2017-18 Rosie Chamberlain, UCF
2018-19 Loretta Blaut, Cincinnati
2019-20 Millie Howard, Temple
2020-21 Alanna Lally, Temple
2021-22 Kat Pesendorfer, Tulsa
2022-23 Rayniah Jones, UCF
2023-24 Riley Felts, Charlotte
2024-25 Destiny Masters, Wichita State
2025-26 Josie Taylor, Rice
Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2017-18 Michael Criticos, Memphis
2018-19 Mario Burke, Houston
2019-20 Reed Sahadevan, Tulsa
2020-21 Aaron Bienenfeld, Cincinnati
2021-22 Henry Visser, Tulsa
2022-23 Cormac Dalton, Tulsa
2023-24 Sam Welsh, Rice
2024-25 Joakim Genereux, Wichita State
2025-26 Ty Hampton, Rice
Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2017-18 Loretta Blaut, Cincinnati
2018-19 Ashley Pryke, Memphis
2019-20 Hannah Miller, SMU
2020-21 Claudia Rojo, Wichita State
2021-22 Jane Sensibaugh, Cincinnati
2022-23 Latasha Smith, UCF
2023-24 Chloe Hershenow, Tulsa
2024-25 McKyla van der Westhuizen, Rice
2025-26 McKyla van der Westhuizen, Rice
Women’s Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2017-18 Mikaela Raudsepp, Wichita State
2018-19 Emily Thorson, Tulsa
2019-20 Jordan Thompson, Cincinnati
2020-21 Lexie Douglas, Tulane
2021-22 McKenna Melville, UCF
2022-23 McKenna Melville, UCF
2023-24 Kaley Cassaday, Tulsa
2024-25 Lara Kretschmer, Charlotte
2025-26 Annika Thompson, Charlotte
At-Large Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2017-18 Eli Rischling, Memphis (Rifle)
Charlotte Veitner, UConn (Field Hockey)
Lauren Hudson, Cincinnati (Lacrosse)
2018-19 Nora Gray, SMU (Equestrian)
2019-20 Levi Clark, Memphis (Rifle)
Malia Hee, Temple (Fencing)
2020-21 Lasse Grimmer, Temple (Crew)
Marina Barzaghi, South Florida (Sailing)
2021-22 Crystal Singh, Tulane (Bowling)
2022-23 Christopher Stoll, Tulane (Sailing)
Margherita Calderaro, Temple (Fencing)
2023-24 Jack Hoagland, SMU (Swimming and Diving)
Diana Tiburcio, Temple (Fencing)
2024-25 JoJo Buselmeier, Army (Gymnastics)
Olivia Stant, UAB (Beach Volleyball)
2025-26 Daniel Laureyssens, Florida Atlantic (Swimming and Diving)
Gabriela Zych, Memphis (Rice)