HARTSVILLE, S.C. – Coker College cross country runner and tennis player Tom Sizeland was named the 2015-16 South Atlantic Conference Man of the Year, the league office announced today. This is the inagural year the SAC has award the Man of the Year award.
"What an honor it is to be named SAC Man of the Year," said Sizeland. "Coker College gave me an opportunity and the tools to take roles as a scholar, a student-athlete and a leader that have allowed me to grow exponentially and for that I am forever grateful. I cannot thank my professors, coaches and mentors enough for their guidance, tutelage and knowledge, this honor is not possible without them"
Nominees were judged off their academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership and a written personal statement.
In the cross country season, Sizeland ran in six meets for the Navy and Gold, picking up two top-12 finishes, including a third-place showing at the USC Open.
On the tennis court, the Hamilton, New Zealand native finished the 2015-16 season with a 17-3 record at No. 2 and 3 singles and a 13-7 record at No. 2 doubles. For his efforts, Sizeland was named to the All-SAC first team at singles and teamed up with Mark Watt at No. 2 doubles to earn second team honors. He finished his Coker career with 46 singles wins, placing him atop the all-time wins list for the Navy and Gold.
"I would like to say congratulations to Tom," said head men's tennis coach Bill Simpson. "This award is just a testament to the hard work and dedication he has put in not only this year but also his entire time here at Coker. It has been a pleasure being his coach and I would like to thank him for being such a great leader on and off the court."
In the classroom, Sizeland was equally as brilliant. He graduated on May 14, 2016 with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology with a pre-medicine concentration, finishing with a 4.0 grade-point average. For his efforts, he was named to the 2015-16 CoSIDA Academic All-America at-large team as a second team selection. He was also a first team All-District selection and was named the 2015-16 Scholar Athlete of the Year at Coker's FANG Awards. He was a member of Coker's Dean's List for the fourth straight year, along with being named to the conference honor roll for the fourth consecutive year.
In the community, he volunteered his time aiding with service projects at Habitat for Humanity, Hartsville YMCA, Darlington County First Steps- Hands on Hartsville and Adopt a Highway. He was also Student-Athlete Advisory Committee member and a biology and mathematics tutor for Coker College.
Sizeland's leadership positions consisted of being a member of the Astronomy Club, a resident assistant and captain of the Coker Cobra men's tennis team.
"What an incredible honor this is for Tom, the men's cross country and tennis teams, the athletic department and Coker as a whole," said vice president of athletics and athletic facilities Dr. Lynn Griffin. "He is what we look for in our student-athletes, well-rounded with athletic accolades and leadership qualities that prepare them for the world after graduation. We are incredibly proud of all his accomplishments."
Tom is the son of Wilma and Peter Sizeland