SACE September Champions of the Month
9/14/2022 10:00:00 AM | Student-Athlete Center for Excellence, Champions of the Month
Student-Athletes from Softball, Volleyball, Men’s Track and Men’s Golf selected as September Champions of the Month
WACO, Texas – McKenzie Wilson (softball), Allie Sczech (volleyball), Johnny Keefer (men's golf) and Laurenz Colbert (men's track and field) have been selected as the Student-Athlete Center for Excellence (SACE) September Champions of the Month.
This award recognizes student-athletes who achieve their personal bests in the areas of academic achievement, athletic success, character formation and spiritual growth.
Each of these student-athletes was nominated by a SACE team member based upon their embodiment of each of the four pillars.
As a third-year transfer from Fresno State, Wilson earned first-team All-Big 12 and second-team all-region honors last season. Making an immediate impact, the centerfielder hit a team-best .424 and led the Big 12 with five triples and 27 stolen bases.
Majoring in communications, the Long Beach, Calif. native completed 15 hours this summer to move up her graduation date to this fall so she can start a master's program in the spring. "She has worked really hard to not only get caught up with her degree, but to actually surpass her original graduate term," said Quentin Hendershot, associate director of academic services. "McKenzie was a part of the student-athlete group that participated in the mission trip to Costa Rica in August."
Part of the highest-ranked recruiting class in program history (No. 4 nationally), Sczech is coming off a strong showing at the Baylor Invitational, recording 22 kills and 10 blocks with a .410 hitting percentage in the 14th-ranked Bears' three sweeps. The No. 32 overall recruit in the 2022 class, the 6-foot-4 opposite-side hitter from Houston earned AVCA All-America honors in 2021.
Selected by her coaches, Allie is participating in the Fall 2022 Leadership Institute and "is an excellent steward of the academic resources made available to her at Baylor, tutor coordinator Sara Roberts said. "Baylor Athletics has grown me as an athlete, as well as a person," Sczech said. "Baylor has pushed me to be the best I can be on and off the court."
Named the Big 12 Conference Men's Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Keefer is coming off his best season on the golf course, earning third-team All-America honors with two top-five finishes and a 71.34-stroke average that ranks as the seventh-best in program history. "I'm excited to see the new talent and improvements from returners this year and hopefully see a lot more trophies," he said.
A fourth-year junior and accounting major from San Antonio, Keefer is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 selection and became the fourth player in program history named to the Palmer Cup. "Johnny handles his business in the classroom and on the golf course," said Lauren Kirby, Assistant AD for Learning Support. "He stays on top of his academics and does a great job communicating to ensure that he is able to be successful academically."
Colbert, a sophomore from Glenarden, Md., capped off a phenomenal year with a bronze medal at the World U20 Championships as a part of the USA 4x100-meter relay team and added a seventh-place finish in the 100 meters after winning the USA U20 title.
Earning All-America honors, he was joined by Isaiah Cunningham, Kamden Jackson and De'montray Callis on a Baylor 4x100 relay team that broke a 32-year-old school record (38.87) and finished fifth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. "As Laurenz showed the world his speed on TV, he would come back to the hotel and finish his homework for the week," said learning specialist Ryan Jolivette. "As the (World Championships) wrapped up, he came back to Waco and finished his summer class on a high note."
This award recognizes student-athletes who achieve their personal bests in the areas of academic achievement, athletic success, character formation and spiritual growth.
Each of these student-athletes was nominated by a SACE team member based upon their embodiment of each of the four pillars.
As a third-year transfer from Fresno State, Wilson earned first-team All-Big 12 and second-team all-region honors last season. Making an immediate impact, the centerfielder hit a team-best .424 and led the Big 12 with five triples and 27 stolen bases.
Majoring in communications, the Long Beach, Calif. native completed 15 hours this summer to move up her graduation date to this fall so she can start a master's program in the spring. "She has worked really hard to not only get caught up with her degree, but to actually surpass her original graduate term," said Quentin Hendershot, associate director of academic services. "McKenzie was a part of the student-athlete group that participated in the mission trip to Costa Rica in August."
Part of the highest-ranked recruiting class in program history (No. 4 nationally), Sczech is coming off a strong showing at the Baylor Invitational, recording 22 kills and 10 blocks with a .410 hitting percentage in the 14th-ranked Bears' three sweeps. The No. 32 overall recruit in the 2022 class, the 6-foot-4 opposite-side hitter from Houston earned AVCA All-America honors in 2021.
Selected by her coaches, Allie is participating in the Fall 2022 Leadership Institute and "is an excellent steward of the academic resources made available to her at Baylor, tutor coordinator Sara Roberts said. "Baylor Athletics has grown me as an athlete, as well as a person," Sczech said. "Baylor has pushed me to be the best I can be on and off the court."
Named the Big 12 Conference Men's Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Keefer is coming off his best season on the golf course, earning third-team All-America honors with two top-five finishes and a 71.34-stroke average that ranks as the seventh-best in program history. "I'm excited to see the new talent and improvements from returners this year and hopefully see a lot more trophies," he said.
A fourth-year junior and accounting major from San Antonio, Keefer is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 selection and became the fourth player in program history named to the Palmer Cup. "Johnny handles his business in the classroom and on the golf course," said Lauren Kirby, Assistant AD for Learning Support. "He stays on top of his academics and does a great job communicating to ensure that he is able to be successful academically."
Colbert, a sophomore from Glenarden, Md., capped off a phenomenal year with a bronze medal at the World U20 Championships as a part of the USA 4x100-meter relay team and added a seventh-place finish in the 100 meters after winning the USA U20 title.
Earning All-America honors, he was joined by Isaiah Cunningham, Kamden Jackson and De'montray Callis on a Baylor 4x100 relay team that broke a 32-year-old school record (38.87) and finished fifth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. "As Laurenz showed the world his speed on TV, he would come back to the hotel and finish his homework for the week," said learning specialist Ryan Jolivette. "As the (World Championships) wrapped up, he came back to Waco and finished his summer class on a high note."
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