Grantham, PA – Less than two weeks after Messiah College completed another brilliant athletic campaign across the 2015-16 seasons, the Falcons announced the winners of the Men's and Women's Senior Scholar-Athlete Award. This year's honorees are two spring sport student-athletes: baseball infielder
Joseph Saufley and softball pitcher
Courtney Allen.
The pair was listed among the six finalist for the award, and both Saufley and Allen separated themselves as choices for the distinguished honor.
"We're always excited to recognize the fine work of student-athletes in the classroom and on the playing fields," said Messiah Director of Athletics
Jack Cole. "Each year we have a strong candidate pool, and this year was no different. Congratulations to both Joe and Courtney for adding their names to this list."
Saufley graduated this year with a 3.92 cumulative grade point average (GPA) as a dual major in Marketing and Communications. Allen graduated with a 3.96 GPA as an accounting major as she led the Falcons to an NCAA Division III National Runner-Up finish this season.
Courtney Allen departs Messiah as one of the most well-rounded and decorated student-athletes of all-time. She earned her second-straight CoSIDA Academic All-American honor this year, and she notched a first in Falcons' history by being named the Academic All-American of the Year for Division III Softball. This all came after Allen was also the named the MAC Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year in her sport.
This season Allen picked up third-straight National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region honor, her first NFCA All-American nod, and the title of MAC Commonwealth Pitcher of the Year. All this came alongside one of the best single-season pitching performances in program history. In the circle Allen went 27-1 with a 1.59 earned run average (ERA) across 198.2 innings pitched. She struck out 156 batters and held batters to a .232 batting average against. Across her 33 starts she collected 19 complete games.
Allen's wins (27) and innings pitched (198.2) are both second-most in program history behind Jessica Rhoads' records (28 wins in 2009 and 2010; 207.2 innings in 2010).
The former full-time centerfielder was also stellar when returned to the outfield, and at the plate she finished her career with 190 hits, 141 runs scored, 106 RBI, and 55 extra-base hits.
On the other diamond, the Messiah honor for
Joseph Saufley caps an impressive career that included CoSIDA Academic All-American awards in each of the past two seasons. He's also been named Academic All-MAC in each of the three years of the award's existence, and this season he picked up his third-straight All-MAC Commonwealth honor for his play on the field.
During his senior season Saufley batted .360 with nine home runs and 40 RBI. His on-base percentage was .452 and he carried both a .637 slugging percentage and .987 field percentage, respectively. True to his reputation as one the most well-rounded players in the Mid-Atlantic Region, Saufley led the MAC Commonwealth in home runs, RBI, total bases, and walks, and he was second in runs and slugging.
Last season, as a junior, Saufley also set a program-record with a 17-game hit streak.
