Anderson’s Hash, Lenoir-Rhyne’s Bongiorno Named SAC Basketball Scholar-Athletes

ROCK HILL, S.C. – Anderson junior Chandler Hash and Lenoir-Rhyne junior Danielle Bongiorno have been selected as the SAC Basketball Scholar-Athletes of the Year, an award which recognizes excellence in athletics, academics, service and leadership.

The SAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards are presented to one male and one female student-athlete in each of the conference's 14 championship sports. The awards are voted on by the league's Faculty Athletic Representatives Committee.

"We're very fortunate to have student-athletes the caliber of Chandler and Danielle in our conference," said SAC commissioner Patrick Britz. "They've both achieved success on the basketball court throughout their careers, but more importantly, have been role models in academics and leadership on campus."

Hash, a guard on Anderson's 18-8 men's basketball team, finished the regular season as the SAC's fifth-leading scorer at 17.9 points per game. He also led the conference in free-throw shooting at 90-percent and was second in three-point field goal percentage at 48.6-percent.

The Greer, S.C., native had three 30-point games and six more where he eclipsed the 20-point mark this season.

In the classroom, Hash carries a 3.52 GPA studying education. He is a multi-year member of the Chi Alpha Sigma Honorary Society and the Anderson University Dean's List, and was a Capital One Academic All-District First Team selection.

Hash is also an active volunteer on campus and in the local Anderson community. His activities include serving nursing home patients, motivational speeches to elementary students and youth basketball clinics for underprivileged children. He is also a freshman orientation leader at Anderson and leads a campus bible study.

Bongiorno started nine games this season for the Lenoir-Rhyne women, helping lead the Bears to a second-place finish in the SAC regular-season standings. A team captain, she averaged 5.6 points per game and had three double-figure scoring performances – including in two of L-R's final three contests.

Bongiorno is nearly perfect in the classroom, boasting a 3.99 GPA majoring in sports management. She is a three-time selection to the Lenoir-Rhyne President's List, a two-year member of the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll, and had the second-highest GPA of any female L-R student-athlete as a sophomore.

The Wilmington, N.C., native is involved with numerous campus groups and activities, including Campus Crusades for Christ, FCA and Sign Troupe. She also volunteers at local elementary and middle schools, leads a team bible study and is a former participant at the Ultimate Training Camp in Colorado.