The University of Akron Athletics
Akron’s Andrews & Ludwig Named MAC Medal of Excellence Award Winners
June 03 | Track & Field
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CLEVELAND– University of Akron track and field standouts Mackenzie Andrew (Toowoomba, Australia) and Matt Ludwig (Chardon, Ohio) have been named 2020 Mid-American Conference Medal of Excellence Award winners, the MAC announced on Wednesday.
The Medal of Excellence is an award presented annually to one male and one female student-athlete from the graduating class of each of the 12 Conference member institutions.
"The Medal of Excellence Award is a reinforcement of the core values that we as a conference and each of our member institutions all possess with excellence in academics, athletics, leadership and service," said MAC Commissioner Jon A. Steinbrecher. "We congratulate all of our Medal of Excellence Award winners."
To be honored with the Medal of Excellence Award, student-athletes had to participate on the varsity level in a conference sponsored sport and shown evidence of academic success with a minimum 3.50 accumulative grade-point average, exhibited athletics excellence, leadership and service. Selection of the recipients was made by each MAC institution.
A graduate student majoring in physical education-adult fitness, Andrews boasts a perfect 4.0 GPA for the Zips, after posting a 3.88 undergraduate GPA in exercise physiology. A two-time All-America honoree, Andrews capped her distinguished Akron career as a five-time Mid-American Conference Champion, 10-time Academic All-MAC selection, eight-time MAC Distinguished Scholar honoree and a 2018 and 2019 USTFCCCA Academic All-America recipient.
Owning school records in the 1,500M (O), 3,000M steeplechase (O), mile (I), 3,000m (I) and distance medley relay (I), Andrews won the mile and 3,000 meters at the 2019 MAC Indoor Championships, while garnering crowns in the 1,500 meters and 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2019 MAC Outdoor Championships. Additionally, she was a member of the winning distance medley relay squad that ran a school-record time at the indoor championships.
Andrews was named the MAC's Women's Most Valuable Performer at 2019 MAC Indoor Championships on the strength of winning the mile and 3,000 meters as well as running on the victorious distance medley relay. She was named UA's Bob Linton Female Student-Athlete of the Year at the 2020 Zippy Awards.
A graduate in biomedical engineering with a 3.885 GPA, Ludwig is a seven-time All-American, including five first-team citations, garnered second-team All-America honors in the pole vault at the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championships after battling through late-season injuries to register a mark of 17-6.50 (5.35m) to place 13th.
Ludwig won the NCAA title in the pole vault at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships with a mark of 18-4.50 (5.60m), while placing second, third, fourth and fourth at the 2018 Outdoor, 2017 Indoor, 2018 Indoor and 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships.
A five-time MAC Champion in the pole vault, he garnered All-MAC accolades for the sixth time persevering through injury to place second in the pole vault at the 2019 MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Also a four-time Academic All-MAC and MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete, Ludwig was named the 2019 MAC Most Outstanding Field Performer of the Meet (Indoor) and 2017, 2018 and 2019 USTFCCCA Academic All-American and 2020 USATF National Indoor title with a career-best clearance of 19-2.25 (5.85m). He had the seventh-highest clearance in the NCAA during the 2019 outdoor campaign in the men's pole vault besting 18-7.25 (5.67m) at the Beach Invitational, before earning a qualifying mark of 17-5 (5.31m) at NCAA East Preliminary Round to advance to nationals.
Ludwig was named UA's Bob Linton Male Student-Athlete of the Year at the 2020 Zippy Awards.
CLEVELAND– University of Akron track and field standouts Mackenzie Andrew (Toowoomba, Australia) and Matt Ludwig (Chardon, Ohio) have been named 2020 Mid-American Conference Medal of Excellence Award winners, the MAC announced on Wednesday.
The Medal of Excellence is an award presented annually to one male and one female student-athlete from the graduating class of each of the 12 Conference member institutions.
"The Medal of Excellence Award is a reinforcement of the core values that we as a conference and each of our member institutions all possess with excellence in academics, athletics, leadership and service," said MAC Commissioner Jon A. Steinbrecher. "We congratulate all of our Medal of Excellence Award winners."
To be honored with the Medal of Excellence Award, student-athletes had to participate on the varsity level in a conference sponsored sport and shown evidence of academic success with a minimum 3.50 accumulative grade-point average, exhibited athletics excellence, leadership and service. Selection of the recipients was made by each MAC institution.
A graduate student majoring in physical education-adult fitness, Andrews boasts a perfect 4.0 GPA for the Zips, after posting a 3.88 undergraduate GPA in exercise physiology. A two-time All-America honoree, Andrews capped her distinguished Akron career as a five-time Mid-American Conference Champion, 10-time Academic All-MAC selection, eight-time MAC Distinguished Scholar honoree and a 2018 and 2019 USTFCCCA Academic All-America recipient.
Owning school records in the 1,500M (O), 3,000M steeplechase (O), mile (I), 3,000m (I) and distance medley relay (I), Andrews won the mile and 3,000 meters at the 2019 MAC Indoor Championships, while garnering crowns in the 1,500 meters and 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2019 MAC Outdoor Championships. Additionally, she was a member of the winning distance medley relay squad that ran a school-record time at the indoor championships.
Andrews was named the MAC's Women's Most Valuable Performer at 2019 MAC Indoor Championships on the strength of winning the mile and 3,000 meters as well as running on the victorious distance medley relay. She was named UA's Bob Linton Female Student-Athlete of the Year at the 2020 Zippy Awards.
A graduate in biomedical engineering with a 3.885 GPA, Ludwig is a seven-time All-American, including five first-team citations, garnered second-team All-America honors in the pole vault at the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championships after battling through late-season injuries to register a mark of 17-6.50 (5.35m) to place 13th.
Ludwig won the NCAA title in the pole vault at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships with a mark of 18-4.50 (5.60m), while placing second, third, fourth and fourth at the 2018 Outdoor, 2017 Indoor, 2018 Indoor and 2019 NCAA Indoor Championships.
A five-time MAC Champion in the pole vault, he garnered All-MAC accolades for the sixth time persevering through injury to place second in the pole vault at the 2019 MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Also a four-time Academic All-MAC and MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete, Ludwig was named the 2019 MAC Most Outstanding Field Performer of the Meet (Indoor) and 2017, 2018 and 2019 USTFCCCA Academic All-American and 2020 USATF National Indoor title with a career-best clearance of 19-2.25 (5.85m). He had the seventh-highest clearance in the NCAA during the 2019 outdoor campaign in the men's pole vault besting 18-7.25 (5.67m) at the Beach Invitational, before earning a qualifying mark of 17-5 (5.31m) at NCAA East Preliminary Round to advance to nationals.
Ludwig was named UA's Bob Linton Male Student-Athlete of the Year at the 2020 Zippy Awards.
Players Mentioned
Pole Vault
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