Tusculum’s Daniel Named 2023 South Atlantic Conference Women’s Lacrosse Scholar-Athlete of the Year

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Tusculum’s Tia Daniel was named the 2023 South Atlantic Conference Women’s Lacrosse Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the Conference office announced on June 1.

The South Atlantic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is presented annually to one student-athlete in each of the Conference’s championship sports and is voted on by the SAC’s Faculty Athletic Representatives Committee. The winners are selected based on their achievements in academics, athletics, service, and leadership.

Daniel, a senior from Langley, British Columbia, Canada, holds a 3.93 grade point average while studying Criminal Justice. She is a four-time Tusculum University Deans List, President’s List, Charles Oliver Gray Honors List, and South Atlantic Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll honoree. Daniel has earned the Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award her sophomore, junior, and senior year.

During the 2023 season, Daniel was named All-SAC Second Team and led the Pioneers with 58 goals (4th in the SAC), 28 assists (5th in the SAC), and 86 points (3rd in the SAC) to set a new Tusculum single-season record. Daniel ranks second in program history in goals (149), assists (51), and points (200) along with free-position goals (37) and shots on goal (248). She ranks third in career draw controls with 159 and is tied for third in career game-winning goals (5). Daniel recorded at least one point in 44 of her 45 career games, including 40 consecutive, to end her career. Daniel was named to the 2022 All-Conference Third Team and was a 2022 and 2023 IWLCA Academic Honor Squad honoree.

Off the field, Daniel is an active member of the Tusculum community. For the past four years, she has volunteered in Tusculum’s Nettie Fowler McCormick Service Day, an annual campus-wide event that sends students, faculty, and staff to work in service placements which have been identified by members of the local community. Daniel has also been an active member of the Pioneer Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as a team representative since her sophomore year.

SAC WOMEN’S LACROSSE SCHOLARATHLETE FINALISTS

Tia Daniel, Tusculum

Ellie Campbell, LenoirRhyne

Leah Knowles, Wingate

Sarah Dudick, Limestone