Lenoir-Rhyne's Jacob Slagle Named South Atlantic Conference Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Lenoir-Rhyne's Jacob Slagle was tabbed the South Atlantic Conference Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the League announced today. He earned the honor for his achievements in academics, athletics, service and leadership.

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.

Slagle, a senior religious development major sports a 3.89 GPA. He has made appearances on both the Dean's and President's list as well as being selected to the South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll all three years. On campus, Slagle is a member and president of the senior class of the Alpha Lambda Honor Society and is also a member of the Psi Chi International Honor Society. Slagle is a recipient of both the Honors Trustee Scholarship and Major James Ursano Scholarship during his time at Lenoir-Rhyne.

During his career on the gridiron, Slagle has been a key player for the Lenoir-Rhyne offensive line. He has been a member of three South Atlantic Conference Championship teams, including three NCAA Division II Playoff appearances. In his freshman campaign the Bears advanced to the 2013 national finals. In his junior year, he was one of the anchors of a squad that helped the Bears rush for an NCAA Division II single-season record average of 416.2 yards per game. At the close of the 2015 campaign, Slagle helped lead an offensive line that averaged 384.7 yards per game to take the No. 1 spot for the nation's top rushing team in Division II. For his work this past season, Slagle was invited to play in the 2016 Senior Bowl.  Slagle has earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors in each of the past three seasons and during his junior he picked up the Lenoir-Rhyne Phil Burns award for exhibiting a life of Christian faith and exemplary leadership. 

A leader outside of the field, Slagle has been active on campus and in the community. At Lenoir-Rhyne, the offensive lineman has been a member of the Bears football team's leadership council, the Angel Bear program and Lenoir-Rhyne's Student-Athlete Advisory Council. He has traveled abroad leading mission trips in North and Central America in addition to his volunteer work at the Salvation Army, Southcrest High School Church Summer Camp and with the Campus Crusade for Christ.

Other Nominees:
Dan Gallman, Carson-Newman
Sam Hall, Newberry
Evan Alizer, Tusculum
Zack Singleton, Wingate