Complete SAC release
 
Rock Hill, S.C.----Wingate University senior wide receiver Trevor Grant (Matthews, N.C.) is the 2022 South Atlantic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year award winner for football, league officials announce today. Grant receives this honor for the first time in his career.
 
Grant is the 10th Bulldog student-athlete to win the SAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for football. Wingate has earned five consecutive awards as punter Chris Birozes (2018) and offensive linemen Connor Baroniunas (2019) and Andrew Strickland (2020-21, 2021) have won the last four honors.
 
Quarterback Robbie Nallenweg (2012, 2013) joins Andrew Strickland as a two-time winner. Offensive lineman Doug Turner won Wingate's first SAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for football in 1993. Other WU recipients include linebacker Chris Stinson (1999) and quarterback Cody Haffly (2011).
  
The SAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is presented to one student-athlete from each of the conference's 22 championship sports. The SAC's Faculty Athletic Representatives Committee votes on this honor. This prestigious award is given to the deserving recipient for their achievements in academics, athletics, service and leadership.

Quotables
 
Joe Reich, head football coach, Wingate University: "Trevor Grant's work ethic is second-to-none. He brings incredible drive and focus to every task put in his path. The SAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is a crowning achievement for his career."
 
Trevor Grant, in his own words: "I am so honored to be recognized for this award among all the hard-working and talented student-athletes in the SAC. This accomplishment has been a goal of mine since I committed to Wingate as a freshman and it brings me great pleasure to say it has been achieved."
 
"I would not be the student or athlete I am today if it wasn't for the love and support of my family, friends and teammates along with the guidance of my coaches and professors. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities and support the Wingate community has given me and I am so proud to represent my school with this humbling award."

The Trevor Grant file
 
- 3.967 GPA with his accounting major and finance minor
- Semi-finalist for the 2022 William V. Campbell Trophy®, presented by the National Football Foundation
- In 37 career games, Grant has 57 receptions for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns
- In 2022, Grant caught a career-best 23 passes for 370 yards and five TDs
- Wingate won a program-best 11 games in 2022, advancing to the NCAA playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons
- Grant posted a career-high three TD grabs in a 2021 season-ending triumph over Mars Hill
- He is a member of the Wingate University Honors Program, concentrating in business
- Grant is a fixture on the Wingate President's List (3.80 semester GPA or better)
- A 2022 WU junior marshal, Grant is a member of Alpha Chi national honor society and the international business honors society of Delta Mu Delta
- Grant serves as a Fellowship of Christian Athletes Influencer
- He is a member of Wingate's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC)
- Grant is a facility supervisor for WU Campus Recreation and a peer tutor for the school's Academic Resource Center 
- Grant volunteered as a donation sorter at the Matthews Help Center in the summer of 2022
- Down the road, the Academic All-District® selection hopes to earn a master's of accounting degree

What They Are Saying … about Wingate's Trevor Grant …
 
Richard Cook, professor of accounting, Wingate University

"How do you define an outstanding scholar-athlete? For me, an outstanding scholar-athlete has the following attributes: team-first player, fully dedicated to their academic studies and sports team, being a high performer in the classroom and on the field of play, possesses a natural curiosity towards their chosen profession, helps others before helping themselves – especially those less academically gifted, being a leader – especially when you do not have the title, seeks – listens – and applies guidance provided by mentors, dreams large but works daily to attain the smallest of goals, perseveres when the unexpected happens, has a positive attitude, knows no limits, is compassionate, has and displays empathy towards others, being a servant to their community, does not seek the limelight and remains humble throughout their endeavors."
 
"For me, Trevor Grant possesses, in spades, all of these attributes and so much more, which makes him a truly outstanding scholar-athlete. Trevor is and has been an outstanding representative of Wingate University, the accounting program, the football team, his family and his community. At Wingate, we are all immensely proud of this young man, and look forward to his success in graduate school, the community and as a professional. Working, teaching and mentoring Trevor has been one of my greatest pleasures during my time at Wingate, as I have witnessed his personal/academic growth during his tenure at Wingate University. I look forward to helping others who follow in his well-paved path."
 
Dr. Allison Kellar, associate professor of English and founding dean, WU Honors College
 
"Trevor Grant is a key member of the Honors College and a leader on and off the football field. In Honors classes, he writes persuasive, well-researched papers, engages enthusiastically in class discussion, asks great questions and makes conversations fun and interesting for his fellow classmates and faculty."
 
"He shows such care for people and appreciation for life in general. When Trevor experienced a significant injury during a 2021 football game, he talked about how lucky he was that the athletic trainers took him to the hospital, how grateful he was that so many faculty members had emailed to check on him, how he had a plan for recovery so that he could reach his goal of playing again his senior year and how getting injured gave him time to reflect on what matters to him and who he wants to be. He is an insightful, caring and resilient student-athlete whose positive attitude and enthusiasm for learning and life make a dynamic contribution to our campus community."
 
Zack Singleton ('17), previously Wingate University's assistant athletic director for performance enhancement
 
"It has been an honor to be a small part in Trevor Grant's journey as a Wingate University student-athlete. Trevor's relentless effort is unmatched and has set him apart from any athlete I have ever trained as a strength and conditioning coach. His contagious and selfless attitude as a leader creates an atmosphere where his teammates feel valued and are being pushed in a positive way. Trevor leads by example on and off the field. He has a daily desire to do whatever it takes to be successful in all walks of life."
 
Wingate University
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a laboratory of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina. Wingate offers 38 undergraduate majors as well as seven master's and four doctoral degrees. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences; the Levine College of Health Sciences; the Byrum School of Business; the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences. 

Wingate is a leader in healthcare education, and nearly one in five Wingate undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 25 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award for 14 years straight. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.