Rock Hill, S.C.----Wingate University senior Roy Stepanov has been named the 2021 South Atlantic Conference men's tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year, league officials announced Thursday morning. Stepanov earns Scholar-Athlete accolades for the first time in his career.

"Roy has been such an important member of this program over his time at Wingate," head coach Michael Cabana says. "He has grown and matured on and off the court. Roy approaches his academics with the same tenacity he approaches his training and match play. He is so dedicated to his academic success and he wants to do the best he can in every class he takes. I am so proud of Roy being honored with the Scholar-Athlete Award. He is such a deserving individual and has represented Wingate and this tennis program with professionalism and class."

The South Atlantic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is presented annually to one student-athlete in each of the Conference's championship sports and is voted on by the SAC's Faculty Athletic Representatives Committee. The winners are selected based on their achievements in academics, athletics, service and leadership.

Stepanov gives Wingate men's tennis its seventh SAC Scholar-Athlete award. Daniel Belsito took home the trophy in 2019 and 2020, with Braeden Patchell earning the honor in 2011. Marius Dan was named the SAC Scholar-Athlete in 2002, 2003 and 2004. The women's tennis program has added 10 SAC Scholar-Athlete awards, giving Wingate Tennis 17 SAC Scholar-Athletes all-time. Wingate University's 88 all-time SAC Scholar-Athletes are the most in league history.

Stepanov, a senior from Ontario, Canada, has a 4.000 GPA in Finance and has been named to the Wingate President's List his sophomore, junior and senior year, while also earning a spot on the SAC Commissioner's Honor roll every year of his WU career. Stepanov is an ITA Scholar-Athlete and ITA All-Academic Team honoree and was named the 2021 SAC Men's Tennis Elite 20 Award Winner. 

Stepanov earned second team All-SAC singles honors in 2021, helping the Bulldogs win the regular season SAC title for the third straight season. He has posted a 10-3 record in singles play this year, going 9-0 against league opponents. The senior earned All-SAC doubles accolades in the 2019 season.

Stepanov served on the Wingate Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for one year, while also volunteering as an N.C. Special Olympics tennis referee, a Monroe High School tennis clinic referee and a United Way Day of Caring organizer and volunteer. 

Stepanov and the Bulldogs earned a third straight bid to the NCAA Tournament, opening tourney play this weekend in Dahlonega, Ga. Fourth-seeded Wingate will face number five seed Tusculum Friday at 3 p.m. The winner advances to take on top-ranked Columbus State Saturday at 3 p.m. The region title match is Sunday at 3 p.m.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a laboratory of difference-making that serves more than 3,600 students in North Carolina. Wingate offers 36 undergraduate majors as well as six master's and four doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences; the Levine College of Health Sciences; the Byrum School of Business; and the College of Professional Studies, which includes the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Wingate is the leading healthcare education provider in western North Carolina, and nearly one in five Wingate undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Athletes on Wingate's 23 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award for 13 years straight. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.