DALLAS – The 2025-26 Conference USA Scholar Athlete of the Year Awards were announced Thursday by the league’s Faculty Athletics Representatives. The awards, voted on by the conference’s 12 FARs, are presented to the top student-athletes in each conference-sponsored sport based on academic achievement (GPA), athletic achievement and service.

The 17 scholar-athletes were selected from CUSA’s full-time and affiliate member institutions across 19 sports (combining indoor and outdoor track & field). Delaware and Sam Houston led the way with three honorees apiece, followed by FIU, MTSU and WKU with a pair each. Five other institutions were represented.  
 
2025-26 Scholar Athlete Award Winners 

Baseball	Tyler Minnick, MTSU
Bowling	Jillian Martin, Nebraska
Football	Thomas Jewett, Sam Houston
Men’s Basketball	Cheikh Ndiaye, Sam Houston
Men’s Cross Country	Brad Malick-Beltran, FIU
Men’s Golf	Aryan Vuradi, Delaware
Men’s Tennis	Karim Al-Amin, MTSU
Men’s Track and Field	Connor Owens, WKU
Softball	Kally Meredith, FIU
Volleyball	Chloe Monson, Sam Houston
Women’s Basketball	Ella Wanzer, Delaware
Women’s Cross Country	Salma Licon, UTEP
Women’s Golf	Mary Grace Dunigan, Delaware
Women’s Soccer	Mary Helen Burford, LA Tech
Women’s Tennis	Elizabeth Sobieski, WKU
Women’s Track and Field	Allie Zealand, Liberty
Women’s Beach Volleyball	Skylar Ensign, Tulane