ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum College senior David Talley has been named the 2013 recipient of the South Atlantic Conference Men's Golf Scholar Athlete Award announced league officials Wednesday. Talley will receive the award during the upcoming Food Lion SAC Golf Championship, being held Apr. 14-16 at the Sevierville Golf Club in Sevierville, Tenn.

This marks the fifth time a Tusculum men's golfer has earned this honor that recognizes academic achievement, athletic accomplishment, community service and leadership. The SAC Scholar Athlete Award is presented to one male and one female student-athlete in each of the conference's 14 championship sports. The awards are selected by the league's Faculty Athletic Representatives Committee.

Talley has been a mainstay in the Tusculum lineup during his four-year career in Greeneville. He won two individual tournament titles his freshman year, posted nine top-20 finishes as a sophomore and five as a junior, and has posted a stroke average of 80.4 over 10 rounds during his senior season.

Talley is one of just eight men's golfers in TC history to win multiple tournaments, and is also in the program's all-time top-10 list in rounds under-par.

In the classroom, Talley has a 3.81 cumulative grade point average majoring in business administration and political science. His academic accolades have included being named a GCAA All-America Scholar and a member of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society, the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll, the Tusculum President's List, the TC Dean's List, the Charles Oliver Gray Honors List and the TC Athletic Director's Honor Roll. He also earned departmental honors in the Tusculum School of Business.

Talley is an active presence on campus as well, serving in leadership roles with groups that include the "Help Me Help You" small business development organization, the Bonner Leadership Program, the TC Business Club, Student Government Association, the TC Division of Business Education and Campus Crusade for Christ. In addition, he volunteers with the Boys & Girls Club, the Greeneville Nursing Home and the Salvation Army.

"David is not only academically and athletically talented, but he is a good and moral person," said Dr. Michelle Freeman, Associate Professor of Business Administration at Tusculum College. "He has exhibited academic excellence through his intellectual abilities, his motivations and his personality in general."

Talley joins Tim Dalton, who earned SAC Scholar Athlete honors in 2002, and three-time honoree Chase Carroll (2007, 2008, 2009).

- SAC -