June 16, 2005

Gipson and Swann Win Don Scalf Award

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - Each year the USA South Athletic Conference presents its most prestigious awards by honoring one male and one female as the Student-Athletes of the Year as these athletes receive the Don Scalf Award. The 2005 winners are Methodist soccer player Christina Gipson (Dayton, Ohio/Carroll) and Averett football player Scott Swann (Fayetteville, N.C./Terry Sanford).  To be eligible for the Don Scalf Award a student-athlete must be either a junior or senior, have participated in a USA South sport earning at least All-Conference recognition and have a minimum 3.00 GPA. The athletic directors vote for the award winner each spring at the conclusion of all Conference schedules.

This award is named in honor of Don Scalf, whose commitment to the student-athlete, guardianship of the value of academic achievement and devotion to the principles of Division III athletics set a standard that holds steadfast in the Conference today. He taught for 36 years and coached for 18 at N.C. Wesleyan. He also served as Athletic Director for six years. During his coaching career his teams won DIAC basketball and golf championships. He was a founding father of the DIAC in 1963 and served as its Secretary-Treasurer for 25 years.

During her tenure at Methodist, Gipson has been successful on the soccer field, in the classroom and in the community.  She Graduated Cum Laude this past Spring with a 3.6 grand point average in Athletic Training and Sports Management.  Gipson was a four-time USA South Athletic Conference All-Academic selection and was twice nominated for ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American honors.  She was named to the Dean's List and President's List four semesters each at Methodist and was also once selected to the National Chancellor's List.  Athletically, Gipson was a four-year starter for the Monarch's women's soccer team where she was three-time All-Conference selection, including two times as a first-team selection.  After her senior season she was named the Monarch's Most Valuable Player by her teammates.  Gipson was actively involved at Methodist with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), serving as the President of Methodist's SAAC and the USA South Athletic Conference SAAC.  She also represented the USA South on the national level as a member of the National SAAC Council. 

Swann has excelled in the classroom, on the football field and in the community at Averett.  Academically, the junior posted a 3.73 cumulative grade point average as a double major in Aviation and Criminal Justice.  He was named to the USA South Academic All-Conference three times and was named to the 2004 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District for football.  In 2004, Swann was named to the USA South Conference first-team after leading the Conference in passing (201.4 yards per game) and in total offense (191.8 yards per game).  Swann completed 175 of 294 passes throwing only six interceptions  on his way to racking up  2,014 passing yards during the 2004 season.  Swann, a resident assistant at Averett, was active in the community, volunteering with the Danville Big Brothers Big Sisters, the YMCA, God's Storehouse and serving as a campus tour guide for prospective Averett students and their families.