Finalists Announced for SAC Male Athlete of the Year

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Seven student-athletes have been submitted as finalists for the 2012-13 SAC Male Athlete of the Year award, which will be selected after next week's meeting of the conference's athletic directors.

Below are biographies of each SAC Male Athlete of the Year finalist.

Lukas Hesse, Anderson men's soccer

Hesse was one of the SAC's most dominant goalkeepers during the 2012 season, tying for the league lead with seven shutouts and ranking third with 80 saves. His best stretch came during Anderson's run to its third-straight SAC Championship title, where he was named the tournament's MVP after three shutouts.

Hesse was an All-SAC Second Team selection and a member of the NSCAA All-Southeast Region Third Team.

Chris Dula, Catawba baseball

Dula was a consensus All-American after leading the SAC with a .402 batting average and 14 home runs and trying for the conference lead with 54 RBI. The first baseman also led the league in on-base percentage and slugging percentage.

In addition to his All-America honors, Dula was named the SAC Player of the Year and the Daktronics Southeast Region Player of the Year. He helped lead Catawba to the regular-season SAC title.

Kevin Day, Carson-Newman football

Day anchored the offensive line for the nation's top rushing offense in 2012, as Carson-Newman averaged 378 yards on the ground per game. That potent offense carried the Eagles to a 9-3 record and a berth in the NCAA Division II Football Championship.

Day was a co-recipient of the SAC Jacobs Blocking Trophy, which recognizes the conference's top offensive lineman. He also won the Rimington Award for the best center in Division II, was an All-SAC First Team selection and a consensus All-American.

Mario Pinto, Lincoln Memorial soccer

Pinto ranked third in the nation in both points and goal en route to earning a host of accolades, including the SAC Player of the Year award. He had six multi-goal games during the season, including three hat tricks.

Pinto was the Daktronics Southeast Region Player of the Year, and an All-America selection by Daktronics and the NSCAA.

Troy Harris, Mars Hill football

Harris was voted as the co-SAC Defensive Player of the Year after ranking third in the conference in sacks with five. The defensive lineman also finished third in the league with two fumble recoveries and 12th in tackles with 84.

The All-SAC First Team honoree was also a member of the Don Hansen All-America Team and the Daktronics All-Southeast Region Team.

Lukas Winkelmann, Tusculum tennis

Winkelmann went 17-2 overall in singles matches and a perfect 9-0 in conference play to earn SAC Player of the Year accolades. He was a member of the All-Conference First Team in both singles and doubles, and was the SAC Men's Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year as well.

Behind Winkelmann, Tusculum went 15-5 and earned a share of the regular-season conference championship.

Chris Bowden, Wingate football

Bowden, a consensus All-American, finished the 2012 season with 106 receptions for 1,359 yards – the second-highest yardage total in SAC history. He ranked second and third in the nation, respectively, in receptions and yards per game.

Bowden was the co-SAC Offensive Player of the Year, an All-Conference First Team selection and a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which recognizes the nation's best player.