The Scholar Athlete of the Week Award is presented to a MAC male and/or female student-athlete who has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and performs well during that week's competition. An institution can nominate up to one male and one female student-athlete per week in any of that current season's sports. The winners are selected by a representative of the MAC's Faculty Athletics Representatives (FARs).
MALE WINNER
Institution: Kent State
Name: Sawyer Solitaria
Sport: Baseball
Position: Outfield
Year: Sophomore
GPA: 3.543
Major: Business Management
Week’s Achievements (detailed description of week’s events):
Sawyer Solitaria continued a monster start to his sophomore season by posting a .467/.579/.800 slash over 4 games against #2 LSU and #13 Tennessee. Solitaria started the week with a three-run blast that brought Kent State within 4-3 in the top of the third inning against #2 LSU on Monday evening. He delivered a clutch hit to tie it at 9-9 in the top of the 9th inning of the series opener at #13 Tennessee on Friday and followed with 3 hits and scored the winning run on Saturday to even the series. Solitaria reached base three times and scored 2 runs in the series finale on Sunday, leading the Golden Flashes to their first series victory against a Power 4 program since 2010. He recorded a hit in all 4 games during the week and totaled 6 runs scored and 4 RBIs.
FEMALE WINNER
Institution: Eastern Michigan University
Name: Tracy Grollman
Sport: Lacrosse
Position: Attack
Year: Senior
GPA: 4.00
Major: Management
Week’s Achievements (detailed description of week’s events):
Tracy Grollman had a big week for the Eagles as she tallied seven points on four goals and three assists, including four points on two goals and two assists in the 12-9 win at Oregon for the program’s first defeat of a ‘Power 4’ opponent. After scoring two goals and adding an assist at Canisius, Grollman was instrumental in helping Eastern down the Ducks on the road as her first goal started a six-goal second quarter while her second tied the score at 6-6 on the way to a 9-7 halftime lead. Both of her assists helped extend the EMU lead to two goals as well. Grollman, who recorded her sixth career game with multiple goals and multiple assists in the same contest, tied her season-high in points she set at Marquette in the opener. Her ninth career game with multiple assists, Grollman now has 100 career points and is only the second player in program history to reach the century mark while sitting on 42 career assists, which leaves her three away from the program record.
