SACE September Champions of the Month
9/26/2023 4:32:00 PM | Student-Athlete Center for Excellence, Champions of the Month
Student-Athletes from Baseball, Men’s Cross Country, Acrobatics & Tumbling and Women’s Track & Field selected as September Champions of the Month
WACO, Texas – Jared Matheson (baseball), Drew Snyder (soccer), Morgan Brown (acrobatics & tumbling) and Keidra Mills (women's track & 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.
Matheson, a senior from Montgomery, Texas, majoring in heath, kinesiology and leisure studies, had a 3.81 GPA this summer while taking a course load of 16 hours. "He knew he needed to take a heavy summer in order to stay on track for graduation in the spring, and he rose to the occasion," said Ryan Amodei, associate director of academic services, "all while interning every day for a baseball facility in his hometown."
After playing two seasons at McLennan Community College, Matheson followed coach Mitch Thompson to Baylor and was 1-1 with a 3.98 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 39.1 innings in the spring. "It was a dream come true having the opportunity to play at this level as well as getting such a great degree," he said. "I thank God for getting me here, as well as my parents, coaches and teammates."
A junior biology major from Lincoln, Neb., Snyder is the new president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and "has taken on the responsibility with a great attitude and desire to serve his fellow student-athletes," said Lindsey Fortner, associate director of character formation. "His ability to balance being a scholar, athlete and leader is inspiring and a true testament of being a 'Champion for Life!'''
Snyder, an all-region pick with a 24th-place finish at last year's NCAA South Central Regional, said "being a student-athlete at Baylor is such a blessing. It means I know I will be supported in both my academic and athletic endeavors. The staff is what makes this place special."
Part of back-to-back NCATA national championship squads, Brown is a junior from Charlotte, N.C., majoring in communication sciences and disorders. "Morgan is active in her faith and is now co-leading (with two others) the A&T weekly Bible study," said Holly McKenzie, Director of Sports Ministry.
Last year, she won an NCATA individual national championship in the Six-Element Acro as the counter for pairs Emily Tobin and Riley Chimwala, Kamryn Kitchens and Bailey Baughn and Adelaide Vezzoski and Ellie LaNeve with a 9.60 score. "I have found that being a student-athlete at Baylor goes beyond bringing home a ring, title or trophy," she said. "It means being encouraged and pushed towards excellence in both athletics and academics, emphasizing teamwork, discipline and personal growth."
Mills, a sophomore interior design major from Hico, Texas, says that "being a student-athlete at Baylor means dedication and commitment to both my studies and my sport. Devoting time for homework, even with a crazy schedule, and still finding time for personal development. Ultimately, time management exceeds all attributes to succeed in both categories."
A third-place finisher in the pole vault at the 2022 Class 4A state track and field meet, Mills was part of the Baylor sports ministry trip that went to Costa Rica this summer to help build homes. Academic coach Travon Carter said Keidra "is a great student-athlete and is always willing to help others."
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.
Matheson, a senior from Montgomery, Texas, majoring in heath, kinesiology and leisure studies, had a 3.81 GPA this summer while taking a course load of 16 hours. "He knew he needed to take a heavy summer in order to stay on track for graduation in the spring, and he rose to the occasion," said Ryan Amodei, associate director of academic services, "all while interning every day for a baseball facility in his hometown."
After playing two seasons at McLennan Community College, Matheson followed coach Mitch Thompson to Baylor and was 1-1 with a 3.98 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 39.1 innings in the spring. "It was a dream come true having the opportunity to play at this level as well as getting such a great degree," he said. "I thank God for getting me here, as well as my parents, coaches and teammates."
A junior biology major from Lincoln, Neb., Snyder is the new president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and "has taken on the responsibility with a great attitude and desire to serve his fellow student-athletes," said Lindsey Fortner, associate director of character formation. "His ability to balance being a scholar, athlete and leader is inspiring and a true testament of being a 'Champion for Life!'''
Snyder, an all-region pick with a 24th-place finish at last year's NCAA South Central Regional, said "being a student-athlete at Baylor is such a blessing. It means I know I will be supported in both my academic and athletic endeavors. The staff is what makes this place special."
Part of back-to-back NCATA national championship squads, Brown is a junior from Charlotte, N.C., majoring in communication sciences and disorders. "Morgan is active in her faith and is now co-leading (with two others) the A&T weekly Bible study," said Holly McKenzie, Director of Sports Ministry.
Last year, she won an NCATA individual national championship in the Six-Element Acro as the counter for pairs Emily Tobin and Riley Chimwala, Kamryn Kitchens and Bailey Baughn and Adelaide Vezzoski and Ellie LaNeve with a 9.60 score. "I have found that being a student-athlete at Baylor goes beyond bringing home a ring, title or trophy," she said. "It means being encouraged and pushed towards excellence in both athletics and academics, emphasizing teamwork, discipline and personal growth."
Mills, a sophomore interior design major from Hico, Texas, says that "being a student-athlete at Baylor means dedication and commitment to both my studies and my sport. Devoting time for homework, even with a crazy schedule, and still finding time for personal development. Ultimately, time management exceeds all attributes to succeed in both categories."
A third-place finisher in the pole vault at the 2022 Class 4A state track and field meet, Mills was part of the Baylor sports ministry trip that went to Costa Rica this summer to help build homes. Academic coach Travon Carter said Keidra "is a great student-athlete and is always willing to help others."
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