ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum College goalkeeper Andy Goellner has been named the 2012 South Atlantic Conference Scholar Athlete for Men's Soccer announced league officials Tuesday.
Goellner, a senior from Denver, Colo., becomes the second player in program history to earn this prestigious honor that recognizes athletic excellence, academic achievement, community service and leadership. Former SAC Player of the Year Scott Hanger was named the league's Scholar Athlete in 2001.
Goellner has a 3.75 cumulative grade point average while majoring in three fields of study, including sport management, business management and accounting. He is a member of the Alpha Chi honor society, SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll, Tusculum Dean's List, Athletic Director's Honor Roll, Charles Oliver Gray Honors List and the Tusculum President's List.
On the field, Goellner has peppered his name throughout the Tusculum record book where he is currently ranked in four statistical categories. He is second all-time in minutes played (4,595), third in saves (244), third in shutouts (12) and fifth in goals against average (1.65). This season, he is tied for second in the conference with four shutouts, fifth in minutes played (1,188) and eighth with his 37 saves and 1.44 GAA.
He serves as a tutor for the sport management, business and accounting programs at Tusculum College, while also serving as a teacher assistant for the chairman of the sport management department.
This past May, Goellner was named to the Sports Launch "Thirty
Under 30" list of young professionals in the field of sports
management. An article featuring Goellner and the 29 other college
students and young working adults appeared in the April 2012
edition of the publication. The "Thirty Under 30" Awards were
established to recognize college students and young professionals
under the age of 30 who epitomize one or more of the attributes
within the sports industry: hard work, innovation, creativity,
leadership and entrepreneurship.
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Goellner has worked with the Rocky Mountain Soccer Camps and in his
first job he not only worked as a coach, but wrote and implemented
the goalkeeping curriculum for the program. His dream is to be the
general manager of a major league sports team and to "become one of
the most respected and successful sports executives in the
country."
He has been the recipient of honors with the Tennessee Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Outstanding Major Award and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.
His community service activism has been exemplary as Goellner has been involved with: Operation Christmas Child, Habitat for Humanity, Bonner Leadership Program and the Nettie Day of Service. He is a founding member of the Help Me, Help You (HMHU) program, which provides small business support and education program for local entrepreneurs. He is also a founding member of the Tusculum Center for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship and has served as a volunteer in the Tusculum Athletic Media Relations department.
Goellner and the Pioneers return to action on Wednesday as they travel to Mars Hill College for the quarterfinal round of the Food Lion SAC Men's Soccer Tournament. Match time is 7 p.m. from Meares Stadium.
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