The University of Akron Athletics

Akron’s Sefcik & Slone Earn MAC’s 2019 Medal of Excellence Award
May 29 | Track & Field, Women's Basketball, Academics
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CLEVELAND – University of Akron seniors Megan Sefcik (women's basketball) and Taron Slone (men's track & field) were presented the 2019 Mid-American Conference Medal of Excellence Award during the Honors Dinner Ceremony at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel on Wednesday evening.
The Medal of Excellence is an award presented annually to one male and one female student-athlete from the graduating class at each of the 12 Conference member institutions. Student-athletes must have participated on the varsity level in a conference-sponsored sport and shown evidence of academic success with a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of a 3.5, exhibited athletics excellence, leadership, and service. Recipients were selected by each MAC institution.
"The Medal of Excellence Award is a reinforcement of the core values that we as a conference, and each of our member institutions all possess with excellence in academics, athletics, leadership and service," said MAC Commissioner Jon A. Steinbrecher. "We congratulate all of our Medal of Excellence Award winners."
Sefcik (Austintown, Ohio), who earned a bachelor's degree early childhood education with a 3.957 grade-point average in May 2018, became the 15th player in program history to record 1,000 career points. She also eclipsed the 200 made three-pointer mark. Sefic finished her career with career-highs in points (533, rebounds (104), assists (54), steals (54), blocks (21), made field goals (181), and made three-pointers (99) as a senior. The 2019 second-team All-MAC selection and four-time Academic All-MAC pick was selected to participate in the 2019 Women's Basketball Coaches Association "So You Want To Be A Coach" program. Sefcik was named Akron's Bob Linton Female Student-Athlete of the Year the annual Zippy Awards banquet. Sefcik is pursuing a master's in elementary education literacy.
Slone (Columbus, Ohio), who earned a bachelor's degree in sport management with a 3.737 GPA, is a USTFCCCA Academic All-American, Academic All-MAC, and MAC Distinguished Scholar honoree. A 2018 NCAA East Preliminary Round qualifier in the 200 meters registering a career-best time of 20.65 in the opening round, third-fastest time in outdoor program history, he placed 24th in the quarterfinals (21.19). As a senior, Slone competed in eight meets for the Zips, including third- and fourth-place finishes in the 100 and 200 meters at the MAC Championships, while running on the third-place 4x100 and sixth-place 4x400 relay teams. Slone was named Akron's Bob Linton Male Student-Athlete of the Year the annual Zippy Awards banquet.
2019 Medal of Excellence Award Winners
Akron: Taron Slone (men's track & field); Megan Sefcik (women's basketball)
Ball State: Timothy Wiseman (men's golf); Regan Lewis (women's track & field)
Bowling Green: Noah Schaub (men's cross country); Kallie Seimet (volleyball)
Buffalo: Dontay Caruthers (men's basketball); Carissima Cutrona (women's soccer)
Central Michigan: Logan Targgart (men's track & field); Reyna Frost (women's basketball)
Eastern Michigan: Beau Breault (men's golf); Delaney Duncan (women's swimming & diving)
Kent State: Jalen Avery (men's basketball); Dara Williams (women's gymnastics)
Miami: James Wray (men's swimming & diving); Kendall McCoy (women's basketball)
Northern Illinois: Max Scharping (football); Mikayla Voigt (women's basketball)
Ohio: Rudy Rott (baseball); Emily Deering (women's cross country/track & field)
Toledo: Reginald Gilliam (football); Pinyada Kuvanun (women's golf)
Western Michigan: Seth Dugan (men's basketball); Rachael Underwood (women's gymnastics)
CLEVELAND – University of Akron seniors Megan Sefcik (women's basketball) and Taron Slone (men's track & field) were presented the 2019 Mid-American Conference Medal of Excellence Award during the Honors Dinner Ceremony at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel on Wednesday evening.
The Medal of Excellence is an award presented annually to one male and one female student-athlete from the graduating class at each of the 12 Conference member institutions. Student-athletes must have participated on the varsity level in a conference-sponsored sport and shown evidence of academic success with a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of a 3.5, exhibited athletics excellence, leadership, and service. Recipients were selected by each MAC institution.
"The Medal of Excellence Award is a reinforcement of the core values that we as a conference, and each of our member institutions all possess with excellence in academics, athletics, leadership and service," said MAC Commissioner Jon A. Steinbrecher. "We congratulate all of our Medal of Excellence Award winners."
Sefcik (Austintown, Ohio), who earned a bachelor's degree early childhood education with a 3.957 grade-point average in May 2018, became the 15th player in program history to record 1,000 career points. She also eclipsed the 200 made three-pointer mark. Sefic finished her career with career-highs in points (533, rebounds (104), assists (54), steals (54), blocks (21), made field goals (181), and made three-pointers (99) as a senior. The 2019 second-team All-MAC selection and four-time Academic All-MAC pick was selected to participate in the 2019 Women's Basketball Coaches Association "So You Want To Be A Coach" program. Sefcik was named Akron's Bob Linton Female Student-Athlete of the Year the annual Zippy Awards banquet. Sefcik is pursuing a master's in elementary education literacy.
Slone (Columbus, Ohio), who earned a bachelor's degree in sport management with a 3.737 GPA, is a USTFCCCA Academic All-American, Academic All-MAC, and MAC Distinguished Scholar honoree. A 2018 NCAA East Preliminary Round qualifier in the 200 meters registering a career-best time of 20.65 in the opening round, third-fastest time in outdoor program history, he placed 24th in the quarterfinals (21.19). As a senior, Slone competed in eight meets for the Zips, including third- and fourth-place finishes in the 100 and 200 meters at the MAC Championships, while running on the third-place 4x100 and sixth-place 4x400 relay teams. Slone was named Akron's Bob Linton Male Student-Athlete of the Year the annual Zippy Awards banquet.
2019 Medal of Excellence Award Winners
Akron: Taron Slone (men's track & field); Megan Sefcik (women's basketball)
Ball State: Timothy Wiseman (men's golf); Regan Lewis (women's track & field)
Bowling Green: Noah Schaub (men's cross country); Kallie Seimet (volleyball)
Buffalo: Dontay Caruthers (men's basketball); Carissima Cutrona (women's soccer)
Central Michigan: Logan Targgart (men's track & field); Reyna Frost (women's basketball)
Eastern Michigan: Beau Breault (men's golf); Delaney Duncan (women's swimming & diving)
Kent State: Jalen Avery (men's basketball); Dara Williams (women's gymnastics)
Miami: James Wray (men's swimming & diving); Kendall McCoy (women's basketball)
Northern Illinois: Max Scharping (football); Mikayla Voigt (women's basketball)
Ohio: Rudy Rott (baseball); Emily Deering (women's cross country/track & field)
Toledo: Reginald Gilliam (football); Pinyada Kuvanun (women's golf)
Western Michigan: Seth Dugan (men's basketball); Rachael Underwood (women's gymnastics)
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