Wingate's Young Named 2023 South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Wingate's Maggie Young was voted the 2023 South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the Conference office announced today.

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.

Young, a graduate student from Waxhaw, N.C., holds a 3.90 grade point average while pursuing her master's degree in Sport Management. She completed her bachelor's degree in May of 2023, graduating summa cum laude, and is a six-time Wingate President's List and two-time Wingate Dean's List honoree. Young has been a member of the South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll for every year of her career and was voted to the Academic All-District Third Team three times.

The 2023 SAC Player of the Year was also named the D2CCA Southeast Region Player of the Year. Young earned first team All-SAC and All-Region honors as well. The graduate student finished the regular season ranked fourth in the nation in hitting percentage. Young piled up 259 kills on the season, averaging 2.27 kills per set while hitting .412, adding 0.82 blocks per set to go along with 84 digs and 38 aces. She ranked second on the team in blocks and aces. With her efficiency, Wingate was ranked fourth in the nation in hitting percentage, fifth in kills per set and sixth in assists per set, while also helping the 'Dogs rank 14th nationally in opponents' hitting percentage. The .285 hitting percentage for the Bulldogs in 2023 is the highest in program history, edging out Wingate's .283 hitting percentage in 2022. Young wraps up her illustrious career with 851 kills and 399 blocks with a .365 hitting percentage, the highest career hitting percentage in the history of Wingate volleyball.

Throughout her career Young has received many athletic accolades, landing on the All-South Atlantic Conference first and second team, the All-South Atlantic Conference Tournament Team, the All-South Atlantic Conference Freshman Team, the All-Southeast Region first and second team, the All-Southeast Region Tournament Team, and the AVCA All-American Team.

Young has been extremely active both on and off the court at Wingate, highlighted by her role as a Wingate Volleyball Captain for the past three seasons. Young worked as a Supervisor at the Wingate University McGee Center for the last four years and completed an internship during her senior year as a special assistant to the CEO of AeroMed Group to assist with a merger and acquisition initiative. She attended the AVCA Coaches Convention as a junior and senior, assisting as a demonstration athlete during lectures while attending sessions as well. During her senior year, she served as the Wingate Volleyball SAAC Representative and was one of just 200 student-athletes selected to attend the NCAA Leadership Development Career in Sports Forum in Indianapolis. Young also took on the role of Assistant Coach at Carolina Union Volleyball Club for a 12 and under developmental team from December through March, along with helping to run camps and clinics over the summer.

Volleyball Scholar-Athlete Finalists

Alex Williams, Coker

Amanda Lisi, Lincoln Memorial

Emmaleigh Allen, Lenoir-Rhyne

Jordan Schmucker, Mars Hill

Madison Adkins, Tusculum

Samantha Shaffer, Newberry

Maggie Young, Wingate

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