Sarmiento Named SAC Presidents Award Winner for Second Straight Year

Tusculum College volleyball student-athlete Ashley Sarmiento is this year’s recipient of the South Atlantic Conference Presidents Award, following a vote of the league’s Faculty Athletic Representatives at the annual SAC Business Meetings in Asheville, North Carolina.

Sarmiento is the female recipient of the SAC Presidents Award for a second straight year, while Wingate University quarterback Robbie Nallenweg is this year’s male honoree.

The SAC Presidents Award is the most prestigious honor the conference awards to its student-athletes. It exemplifies the finest combined qualities of excellence in athletics, academics and community leadership. During the year, the league recognizes 18 Scholar Athletes, representing each of the conference-sponsored sports. The top male and female SAC Scholar Athletes from each represented member school are then nominated for the SAC Presidents Award.

Sarmiento, a native of Dayton, Ohio, earns this award in back-to-back seasons, marking the ninth time that a SAC student-athlete has garnered this recognition on two occasions. She joins Tusculum two-time winners Jarrell NeSmith (Football 2008-09, 2009-10) and Taylor Rakes (Baseball: 2011-12, 2012-13).

This also marks the sixth straight year and seventh of the last eight that a TC student-athlete has garnered SAC Presidents Award honors. Tusculum’s nine total SAC Presidents Award winners are the second most by one school.

“Ashley and Robbie are two perfect examples of what make college athletics great,” said SAC commissioner Patrick Britz. “Their excellence in all facets of athletics, academics and community service is outstanding and both are very deserving of this prestigious award. The SAC has been very fortunate to have both of these extraordinary individuals be such wonderful representatives the past four years.”

Sarmiento graduated Magna Cum Laude this past May with a 3.92 GPA in mathematics/ and math education. She was honored with the Tusculum College President’s Award, which is the college’s top student honor in addition to being named to the SAC Commissioner’s honor roll for a fourth consecutive year. The two time SAC Volleyball Scholar Athlete of the Year is a member of the Alpha Chi Honor Society and made the Dean’s and President’s Lists during her entire career at Tusculum.

On the court, the setter and team captain guided Tusculum to a 21-11 overall record, a second-place finish in the league and her fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. Sarmiento ended her career second all-time in assists (3,849) at Tusculum and eighth in digs (1,154) and is the only player in school history to end her career with 3,000 assists and 1,000 digs.

An active member of the Greeneville community, Sarmiento has served with groups that include Nettie Day of Service, Ride for Life, St. Charles Church, Phoenix Rising volleyball camp, Greeneville Humane Society and “The Point” Christian group. On campus, she has had roles as an elementary school mentor, a leader with service learning classes, and as a member of the Pioneer Student-Athlete Advisory Committee’s leadership team – including a term as president.

During her 2010 rookie campaign, she was named the SAC Freshman of the Year and the AVCA Southeast Region Freshman of the Year, while also garnering All-Conference and All-Region accolades. In 2012, she earned a spot on the NCAA II Southeast Region All-Tournament Team as the Pioneers upset top-seeded Armstrong Atlantic State University, while advancing to the regional title match and the NCAA Sweet 16.

Past Tusculum honorees of the SAC Presidents Award include: Julie Maples (Women’s Basketball: 2004-05), Glen Black (Football: 2006-07), Jarrell NeSmith (Football: 2008-09, 2009-10), Simon Holzapfel (Men’s Cross Country: 2010-11), Taylor Rakes (Baseball: 2011-12, 2012-13).