Bauer, Bolon Are MEC Scholar-Athlete Finalists
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. –West Liberty University graduates Abbey Bauer and Dalton Bolon have been selected as finalists for the Mountain East Conference's seventh annual MEC Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award.
Bauer, a Moundsville, W.Va. native and founding member of WLU’s Acrobatics & Tumbling team, was one of only eight student-athletes nationwide to be selected for the NCATA All-Academic Team. She was one of the featured speakers at last month’s Commencement after graduating with a perfect 4.00 GPA in Elementary Education. On the mats, she served as a team captain for the Lady Hilltoppers while competing in eight events. She contributed to several school record scores over the course of the season and helped WLU place in multiple events at the 2021 MEC Individual Event Championships.
Bolon, a three-time NCAA Division II Academic All-American and the 2021 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Academic All-American of the Year, is a two-time MEC and Atlantic Region Player of the Year who ranks No. 2 all-time at WLU in scoring (2,247 points) and 3-point field goals (351) – an MEC record! An honors graduate in Human Biology, he maintained a perfect 4.00 GPA in his graduate courses this season while leading the WLU men to their 12th consecutive NCAA Tournament berth.
The MEC Scholar-Athlete Awards were created to recognize the conference's male and female student-athletes who achieved at a high level in the classroom and on the playing field. Minimum qualifications are a 3.30 grade-point average, participation in at least 50 percent of the team's contests in an MEC-sponsored sport and a minimum of one year in residence at the institution.
Joining Bolon as male finalists are: Taylor Cook (Alderson Broaddus, Baseball), Anthony Stehlin (Concord, Baseball), Craig Cook (Davis & Elkins, Wrestling), Joao Martins (Fairmont State, Tennis), Hegel Augustin (Glenville State, Basketball), Kelan McKenna (Notre Dame, Wrestling), Jack Mastandrea (University of Charleston, Track & Field), Ethan Lauchart (W.Va. State, Baseball), John Merica (W.Va. Wesleyan, Football), Luis Dominguez (Wheeling, Baseball).
Bauer’s fellow female finalists include: Ashlyn McDonald (Alderson Broaddus, Volleyball), Riley Fitzwater (Concord, Basketball), Samantha Kirk (Davis & Elkins, Track & Field), Sierra Kotchman (Fairmont State, Basketball), Kat Treff (Frostburg State, Softball), Taychaun Hubbard (Glenville State, Basketball), Taylor Olson (Notre Dame, Softball), Karli Pinkerton (University of Charleston, Softball), Grace Martin (W.Va. State, Volleyball), Lauren Baumgartner (W.Va. Wesleyan, Soccer), Danielle Stewart (Wheeling, Track & Field).
The MEC Male and Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year will be determined by a vote of MEC administrators and league office personnel. Results of the league-wide balloting will be announced later this month.
MEC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS
Male
2015: Conor Branson (Charleston, Soccer)
2016: Conor Branson (Charleston, Soccer)
2017: DAN MONTEROSO (WEST LIBERTY, BASKETBALL)
2018: DAN MONTEROSO (WEST LIBERTY, BASKETBALL)
2019: John Cominsky (Charleston, Football)
2020: Tony Vezzetti (Notre Dame, Wrestling)
Female
2015: Nichole Perry (Charleston, Basketball)
2016: Lauren Langenderfer (Notre Dame, Basketball)
2017: Kayce Krucki (Wheeling Jesuit, Volleyball)
2018: Mackenzie Harrison (Fairmont State, Volleyball)
2019: Kristine Gegeshidze (Charleston, Tennis)
2020: Haley Kramer (Wheeling, Volleyball)