Coker's Tricker Tabbed as SAC Men's Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Coker University's Matthew Tricker was voted as the 2024 South Atlantic Conference Men's Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the conference 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.

Tricker, a senior from Ipswich, England, was just named a Second Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators. He owns a 3.969 cumulative GPA while majoring in Physical Education. He has earned a spot on the Coker University President's List, as well as the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll, three times. He was once named to the Coker University Dean's List and has been named CSC Academic All-District each of the past three years. Matty has also earned two D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards.

On the field, Tricker has been a four-year starter for the Cobras and helped them to NCAA Tournament appearances in 2021 and 2024 as well as a share of the SAC Regular Season title in 2024. This fall, Coker went 15-3-1 and defeated Auburn Montgomery in the Round of 32 before falling to Lynn in the Round of 16. During his freshman year, Coker won the SAC Tournament by defeating Mars Hill in overtime. Tricker was named the SAC Defensive Player of the Year as a senior and also earned SAC Defensive Player of the Week once. He was named Second Team All-Conference as a sophomore and junior and First Team All-SAC this year.    

Off the field, Tricker is committed to service. He has been a four-year member of Coker University Enactus and served as the Vice President each of the past two years. He was a member of the Presentation Team during his sophomore and junior years. He also was selected for Gary Kooper's Leadership Academy as a junior and was a nominee for Coker's Excellence in Leadership Award that same year. In each of his four years, he has volunteered for the Darling County Humane Society where he organized Coffee and Canine events on campus to promote local dog adoption. He also served as a soccer referee and coach for local youth games and led soccer clinics at Carolina and Thornwell Elementary Schools. He participated in reading to classes during Literacy Day at Butler Academy, Thornwell Elementary and Carolina Elementary each of his four years and is a three-time member of the Coker Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

2024 Men's Soccer Scholar-Athlete Finalists

Matthew Tricker, Coker

Jakob Lechner, Carson-Newman

Macoy Strawn, Lenoir-Rhyne

Pablo Pozos, Wingate

Peter Plougmand, Mars Hill