SoCon Athletes of the Year Announced

Past female winners

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. ? University of Tennessee at Chattanooga quarterback Jacob Huesman and Furman University midfielder Stephanie DeVita have been named the 2016 Southern Conference Male and Female Athletes of the Year, the league announced today (June 1). Huesman and DeVita will be honored as part of the league's annual Honors Dinner on Wednesday night in Hilton Head Island, S.C.

DeVita is the eighth Paladin to win the award and is the second recipient from the women's soccer program. She was named first-team all-conference in 2015 for the fourth consecutive season and scored all six goals for the Paladins in their three SoCon tournament matches to help Furman claim the 2015 Southern Conference tournament crown. As a senior, she was named to the NSCAA All-Southeast Region First Team.

She finished her career as the Southern Conference's all-time leader in career goals with 68. The Simpsonville, S.C., native recorded 29 game-winning goals throughout her career, which set a new conference mark. Here 159 career points are the most in school history and rank second all-time in the league.

Off the pitch, DeVita Fellowship of Christian Athletes leader for the past two years and completed an internship as a personal trainer at the Furman Physical Activities Center. She trained youth soccer players in her spare time and volunteered with her teammates at the St. Anthony's afterschool program for four years.

A member of the Southern Conference Honor Roll, DeVita completed her degree in health sciences.

Huesman joins former teammate Davis Tull (2015) as the only two Mocs to win the Bob Waters Male Athlete of the Year award. The Offensive Player of the Year in football, Huesman was a consensus first-team all-conference selection and was named a second-team All-American as a senior. Named the league's Offensive Player of the Week four times as a senior, Huesman quarterbacked the Mocs to Southern Conference championships in each of his last three seasons.

One of the most decorated players in school history, Huesman finished his career holding 10 school records. He became just the third player in league history to finish his career with 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in a career. Earlier this week, he signed to play for the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Huesman completed his degree in business last December and was a two-time recipient of the Commissioner's Medal and a three-time SoCon Honor Roll honoree.

During his time at UTC, Huesman volunteered with the Special Olympics and took part in the annual Bloodanooga Blood Drive as well as the Get in the Game Marrow Registry. Huesman also spent time reading to elementary school children in the Chattanooga area.

The Athlete of the Year Awards are selected annually by the Southern Conference athletics directors and a media member representing each conference school. The award recognizes athletic achievement, academic performance and civic involvement. Prior to 1990-91, the award was selected solely by members of the Southern Conference Sports Media Association. Beginning in 1991-92, the men's award was named after the late Bob Waters, who was Western Carolina's head football coach from 1969-88.