The 2021-22 academic year just started, but there's still one last piece of business from 2020-21 to finish up.
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On Tuesday (Aug. 31), Ashland University seniors
Rachel Miller and
Trevor Bassitt were named the 2020-21 AU Student-Athletes of the Year. These awards are selected by the Athletic Committee, which is comprised of faculty members and staff members from outside the Athletic Department. Each athletic program may nominate one student-athlete for each award. These awards recognize outstanding athletic achievement, athletic prowess and community/campus service.
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Miller and Bassitt will be recognized and receive their awards at the Hall of Fame/Student-Athlete of the Year recognition in the spring of 2022, as a date and time to be determined. It will be at that time when the 2021 Ashland University Hall of Fame class will be inducted, as well.
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Bassitt was a dominant force last season in NCAA Division II indoor and outdoor track. He was the 2020-21 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) NCAA Division II Men's Track & Field/Cross Country Academic All-America Team Member of the Year and first-team Academic All-America, and U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division II Men's Indoor Track & Field National Scholar Track Athlete of the Year, while also earning a GLIAC Commissioner's Award and CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.
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Here is how Bassitt's 2020-21 seasons broke down, indoors and outdoors:
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- INDOOR SEASON: Three national championships en route to a team national title, USTFCCCA NCAA Division II Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year, new D-II records in the men's 200 and 400 dashes, USTFCCCA Midwest Region Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Year, four GLIAC titles, three USTFCCCA D-II Men's National Athlete of the Week awards, three GLIAC Men's Track Athlete of the Week awards, and GLIAC Track Athlete of the Year, Track Athlete of the Meet and High Point Athlete of the Meet.
- OUTDOOR SEASON: One national title, USTFCCCA Midwest Region Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, four GLIAC championships, four GLIAC Men's Track Athlete of the Week awards, and GLIAC Track Athlete of the Year, Track Athlete of the Meet and High Point Athlete of the Meet.
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Bassitt, who graduated with a 3.56 cumulative grade-point average as a Sport Management major, and has a 4.00 GPA in post-graduate work, has returned to compete in 2021-22.
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Miller had a breakout senior season in 2020-21, and her year-long accolades included first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America, being named the GLIAC's honoree for the 2021 NCAA Woman of the Year award, the first two NCAA Division II All-American awards of her career (indoors in the 400-meter dash, outdoors in the 400 hurdles), a 2020-21 GLIAC Commissioner's Award, CoSIDA Academic All-District, USTFCCCA all-region indoors and outdoors, and GLIAC Women's Track Athlete of the Week on Feb. 23.
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She graduated in the spring with a cumulative GPA of 3.96 as a Public Relations and Strategic Communications major, and she also has returned to compete this upcoming year.
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ALL-TIME ASHLAND COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY STUDENT-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
| YEAR |
FEMALE |
MALE |
| 1988 |
Kristin Hopper (track and field) |
Dave Biondo (football) |
| 1989 |
Vickie Schmitz (basketball) |
John Walters (track and field) |
| 1990 |
DeAnn Cirino (track and field) |
Doug Powell (football) |
| 1991 |
Bobbi Pugh (volleyball) |
Bill Muller (swimming) |
| 1992 |
Bobbi Pugh (volleyball) |
Ron Greer (football) |
| 1993 |
Julie Haase (track and field) |
Larry Kaufman (wrestling) |
| 1994 |
Andrea Gregersen (swimming) |
Eric Berry (track and field) |
| 1995 |
Heather Lefford (softball) |
Eric Berry (track and field) |
| 1996 |
Desi Gillman (softball) |
Sean Robbins (track and field) |
| Â |
 |
Gene Stechschulte (baseball) |
| 1997 |
Becky Ball (track and field) |
Chad DiFranco (football) |
| 1998 |
Jamie McDaniel (swimming) |
Matthew "Bubba" Harris (football) |
| 1999 |
Becky Ball (track and field) |
Joe Veres (wrestling) |
| 2000 |
Jennifer Bartlett (volleyball) |
Ryan Knight (track and field) |
| 2001 |
Adriane Blewitt (track and field) |
T.J. Hellickson (wrestling) |
| 2002 |
Alicia Longstreth (softball) |
Nate Moore (baseball) |
| 2003 |
Adriane Blewitt (track and field) |
Craig Pickering (swimming) |
| 2004 |
Becky Richards (soccer) |
Michael Hull (football) |
| 2005 |
Jackie Mason (basketball) |
Nate Iler (track and field) |
| 2006 |
Megan Dort (swimming) |
Jody Stewart (track and field) |
| Â |
Ashley Bigelow (soccer) |
 |
| 2007 |
Megan Dort (swimming) |
Casey Jirsa (baseball) |
| 2008 |
Mary Kate Glowe (volleyball) |
Vince Cashdollar (football) |
| 2009 |
Betsy Morrison (basketball) |
Jacob Petkac (baseball) |
| Â |
 |
Dan Tierney (track and field) |
| 2010 |
Steph Tinney (track and field) |
Nick Bellanco (football/track and field) |
| 2011 |
Abby Kacsandi (track and field) |
Joe Horn (football/track and field) |
| Â |
Allison Morgan (swimming) |
 |
| 2012 |
Kari Daugherty (basketball) |
Brock Weaver (track and field) |
| 2013 |
Kari Daugherty (basketball) |
Donnie Dottei (football) |
| 2014 |
Alyssa Miller (basketball) |
Alex Sheil (swimming) |
| 2015 |
Jamie Sindelar (track and field) |
Drew Windle (track and field) |
| 2016 |
Hannah Mattar (swimming) |
Joe Brandt (wrestling) |
| Â |
 |
Stephen James (baseball) |
| 2017 |
Kelsey Peare (basketball) |
Adam Shaheen (football) |
| 2018 |
Andi Daugherty (basketball) |
Dominic Giunta (football) |
| Â |
 |
Matthew Wilcox (football) |
| 2019 |
Kylie Asmus (softball) |
John Duldner (soccer) |
| 2020 |
Jodi Johnson (basketball) |
Drew Noble (basketball) |
| 2021 |
Rachel Miller (track and field) |
Trevor Bassitt (track and field) |
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