MOBILE, Ala. – After picking up numerous awards this past fall for their outstanding play on the field, women's soccer's Gracie Wilson and football's Jalen Tolbert were named the Jaguar Female and Male Student-Athletes of the Year on Monday at the University of South Alabama Department of Athletics 13th annual Pete Tolbert Night of Champions honoring student-athletes for the 2021-22 academic year held at the Mitchell Center.

Along with the Jaguar Female Student-Athlete of the Year award, Wilson also took home the Female JAF Award and was chosen to be the school's nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. Other student-athletes to receive departmental awards during the evening were Gabby Stagner, softball (Auralia Crowell Freshman Scholar-Athlete Award), Kayo Gonclaves, men's basketball (Male JAF Award), Jake Bentley, football (Male Perseverance Award) and Morgan Stalcup, volleyball (Female Perseverance Award).

The Jaguar Student-Athlete of the Year is presented to the most-outstanding student-athlete based on scholarship, athletic ability and citizenship. Wilson was named both Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year after leading the Jags to their third consecutive conference tournament title. She led South Alabama this past season with 11 goals, 10 assists, 32 points and six game-winning goals. 

Wilson was a 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-American selection and holds a 4.o grade-point average while majoring in psychology with a minor in religion.

This past fall, Tolbert became the first Jag to be named the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year, while also earning first-team all-league honors. He was just the second player (Jeremy Reaves, 2017, SBC Defensive Player of the Year) in South's history to earn individual honors.  

Tolbert – who is expected to be drafted in one of the early rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft later this week – earned first-team all-conference following the 2021 season after pacing the Sun Belt in catches, receiving yards, receiving yards per game and receptions per game — ranking third in yards per game and sixth in receiving yards nationally — after catching 82 passes for 1,474 yards and eight touchdowns this fall. 

Stagner, who picked up the Auralia Crowell Freshman Scholar-Athlete Award presented to the school's most outstanding freshman based on excellence in academics and athletics, has been a solid addition to the South Alabama line up where she has recorded five home runs and driven in a team-best 24 runs, while seeing time at both infield corner positions, as well as the designated player role. Of her 24 RBI, 19 have come in conference player where South Alabama currently sits in second place in the league standings with a 12-4 record. She was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week on March 15 after helping the Jags sweep UTA in their SBC opening series where she hit .444 that series and drove in nine and recorded 10 total bases, including a pair of grand slams, becoming the first player in program history to hit a grand slam in back-to-back outings. Stagner is an exercise science major with a 3.11 GPA.

Both Jake Bentley, football (Male) and Morgan Stalcup, volleyball (Female) received the department's Perseverance Award, which is presented to a student-athlete for succeeding in the classroom or in competition while overcoming adversity.

After transferring to South Alabama, Bentley started the first eight games of the season and Bentley ranked among the Sun Belt leaders in many statistical categories prior to suffering a knee injury during the opening drive in the Troy game. Bentley chose to put off surgery in an attempt to comeback toward the latter part of the season. After rehabbing the injury, he was able to start and play in the regular-season finale against Coastal Carolina at home just 20 days after sustaining the injury. Bentley nearly led the Jaguars to an upset of the Chanticleers as he finished 28-of-41 passing for 354 yards and two touchdown passes. He earned honorable mention all-Sun Belt honors following the season.

Stalcup was the female recipient of the award after overcoming numerous injuries during her Jaguar career. She was able to compete in 18 matches in South's historic 2022 campaign, which saw the program achieve its first Sun Belt Conference regular-season and tournament championships, in addition to the program's first NCAA tournament appearance. Despite the injuries, she has amassed 229 kills, a .272 hitting percentage, three assists, two service aces, 32 digs, 22 solo blocks, 130 block-assists for 152 total blocks and 0.89 blocks-per-set average in her career. Stalcup received her bachelor's degree in Spring 2020 with magna cum laude honors, and is currently working toward a master's degree in public administration.

Along with Wilson, men's basketball's Kayo Goncalves was presented with the Jaguar Athletic Fund Award, which is given to the male and female student-athletes who best exemplify enthusiasm and support for the total athletic program.

The event also featured the announcement of individual program awards: Eddie Stanky Award (baseball), Hunter Stokes; Jaguar Women's Basketball NCAA Award (women's basketball), Cassie Fergueson; Goldie Ungar Heart of Gold Award (men's basketball), Charles Manning Jr.; Female Outstanding Performer Award (cross country), Adele Magaud; Male Outstanding Performer Award (cross country), Kirami Yego; Jim Yance Heart of a Jaguar Award (football), Keith Gallmon Jr.; Lindsay Rogers Award (soccer), Wilson; The Lubel Family Award (men's tennis), Sébastien Collard; Beth Barry Award (women's tennis), Belinda May; Most Outstanding Indoor Student-Athlete Award (women's indoor track & field), Magaud; Most Outstanding Indoor Student-Athlete Award (men's indoor track & field), Yego; Kari Frazier Spirit Award (volleyball), Kailey Keeble; Spirit of South Award (cheer), Raeanne Nolsaco; and Stand Out Prowler Award (dance), Brianna Coburn.

Three other awards will be presented following the conclusion of those sports' seasons: Marilyn Lubel Award (women's tennis); Extra Mile Award (softball); Heath Slocum Award (men's golf).

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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