Displaying the Lake Forest College Athletic Department's Tradition of Excellence over the weekend, Forester student-athletes Elliot Hull, Paityn Tabor, and Mary Gegen received their respective sport’s Elite 20 Award at the Midwest Conference Tournament. The presentations were made by representatives of the league or host institutions.
Each year, the MWC recognizes the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average participating in his or her respective sport’s culminating championship or tournament event. The award recognizes the commitment of the student-athlete toward the pursuit of excellence in both the athletic and academic realms as measured by reaching the pinnacle of competition within the league, while also achieving the highest academic standard among peers.
"Every year, our Forester student-athletes aim for success in the classroom, in competition, in the community, and in their career preparation," said Director of Nicki Pieart. "Having three of our fall sport student-athletes win the Elite 20 award showcases their commitment to excellence in their field of studies, along with their drive to succeed on the field of play. I am exceedingly proud of Paityn, Mary, and Elliot for being recognized with the MWC's Elite 20 Award."
Hull, a junior forward from Cincinnati, Ohio, is an environmental studies major. He is also excellent on the pitch, starting 18 of 19 games and is second on the team with eight points on three goals and two assists. Hull was named Second Team All-MWC as a sophomore and now becomes just the second Forester men’s soccer player to earn the Elite 20 Award, joining Nipun Chauhan in 2016.
"I'm extremely grateful to have been awarded the Elite 20 Award for men's soccer," said Hull. "My academics have always been extremely important to me and I dedicate myself to them just like I do to my sport. This award feels like the culmination of a lot of hard work that people don't really see and because of that the recognition, and the award itself, are super meaningful. I'm so thankful for all of my professors and advisors who have given me incredible support in all my academic pursuits throughout my time at the college. It's also an honor to share the award with Mary and Paityn. They're both amazing people and I have the utmost respect and admiration for both of them."
Tabor, a senior midfielder from Cleveland, Ohio, is majoring in journalism (self-designed) and Spanish. Last season she became the program’s first Elite 20 Award recipient and now she is a two-time winner. Tabor has started all 19 of the team’s matches this fall and has five points on on two goals and an assist.
"Winning the Elite 20 Award is an incredible honor for me," said Tabor. "This is the second year in a row I have won this award and it means the world for my hard work in the classroom to be recognized in this way. Excelling in soccer is something that I strive for all season long. However, I take even more pride in the hard work I put in to achieve acdemic success. This award means far more to me than any other accolade. I am beyond grateful for the people around me that have supported me throughout my entire collegiate expierence, and to win this award in the last soccer game of my athletic career is a milestone and honor that I will truly never forget."
Gegen, a junior outside hitter from Rochester, Ill., is an environmental studies major. She was also announced as a First Team All-MWC selection on Friday after leading the Foresters in kills and ranking second on the squad in digs this season. In 2021 she was a Second Team All-MWC selection and named the Lake Forest Most Valuable Player. Gegen is the first Foresters volleyball student-athlete to earn the distinction.
"I truly appreciate the Elite 20 Award because it highlights the other, less-recognized side of being a collegiate athlete," said Gegen. "We've said over and over that student-athletes are students first, but we often find that athletics is more rewarding and exciting. Many of us thrive off of the pressure of athletics while missing that appeal in academics. It makes Elite 20 that much more meaningful. I personally was surprised when I received the award; looking back on it now, I'm genuinely proud of what I accomplished and it makes the hours I dedicate to both athletics and academics that much more worth. It's hard to do both, and it's even harder to excel in both, but this award is a demonstration that it's totally possible! Congrats also to Paityn and Elliot!"
All three student-athletes have perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point averages at the College.