ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum College's Jenny Grant has been named the 2012 South Atlantic Conference Scholar Athlete for Women's Cross Country, announced league officials Friday.

The SAC Scholar Athlete Award, which is selected by a vote of the league's faculty athletic representatives, recognizes a combination of academic achievement, athletic excellence, service and leadership.

Grant becomes only the second female runner in program history to earn this prestigious honor, joining former Academic All-American® Heather Rhoton, who received the award in Tusculum's first season as a SAC member in 1999.

Grant is competing in her third season on the Tusculum women's cross country team, and in each season has been selected as a team captain. She was also selected as the team's most valuable runner the last two years (2010 & 2011).

She is in the midst of a strong senior season, having already posted a sixth-place finish at the Warren Wilson Invitational and an eighth-place showing at The Citadel Invitational.

As a sophomore, Grant was the only Pioneer woman selected to compete at the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional, where she posted a 6K time of 27.45.

Last season, Grant was named to the Capital One Academic All-America® NCAA Division II Third Team, becoming the third Academic All-American® in program history, joining Rhoton (2000) and Sarah Alston (2007).

The Franklin, Tenn. native holds a 4.00 cumulative grade point average, while majoring in psychology. She is a two-time recipient of the Duffield Award, which is given to the Tusculum student-athlete with the highest GPA and is a member of the Alpha Chi and Psi Chi academic sororities, the South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll, Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Roll, Charles Oliver Gray Honor List, President's List and was a recipient of the Alpha Chi Award of Excellence in 2011-12.

On campus, Grant is involved with student groups that include the President's Society, Judicial Board, Presidential Task Force, Resident Hall Association and the Southeastern Psychological Association.

She took part in last summer's SAC Leadership Conference, is a member of the Pioneer Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (PSAAC), and is a frequent blogger on the SAC's official website, theSAC.com.

Grant gives back to her local community as well, serving with the Tower Plaza retirement home, Southeastern Guide Dog, the Nettie Day of Service, and as a coach and co-founder of the "Couch to 4 Miles" program, which was designed to encourage middle-aged individuals to begin walking and running.

Grant will receive the award in ceremonies following Saturday's Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Championship, which is being hosted by Tusculum College on the Greeneville campus. The 8,000-meter men's race will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the 5,000-meter women's championship at 10:15 a.m.

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