USA South names Lambeth as Don Scalf Award winner

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The USA South Athletic Conference presented its most prestigious award on Friday with the announcement of the Don Scalf Award winners.

Huntingdon junior golfer Addison Lambeth was named the male Student-Athlete of the Year and Maryville senior basketball player Mackenzie Puckett was named the female Student-Athlete of the Year.

A day after becoming the first Huntingdon golfer to win the Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year Award, Lambeth is the first Huntingdon student-athlete to win the Don Scalf Award.

"It is a great honor to be recognized as the male Student-Athlete of the Year for our conference," Lambeth said. "Honestly, when I first found out about this award, I didn't think I had a chance to win. But I am very proud to be recognized for my achievements in the classroom as well as on the golf course.

"I think this award recognizes the importance Huntingdon places on both academics and athletics and the caliber of coaches and professors here. All of my professors are extremely helpful with the rigorous schedule that comes with being a student-athlete and they deserve recognition for this award just as much as I do."

To be eligible for the Don Scalf Award, a student-athlete must be either a junior or senior, have participated in a USA South-sponsored sport, earned All-Conference recognition and have a minimum 3.0 GPA. The winners are chosen by a vote of the USA South athletic directors.

"This has been an incredible season for Addison and it has been capped off with this week's announcements," Huntingdon athletic director Mike Turk said of the Don Scalf Award and the announcement of the Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year Award on Thursday. "Addison is the first Huntingdon student-athlete to win the Don Scalf Award and we are very proud of him.

"What he has accomplished in recent years speaks for itself and we are proud to have him represent our college. He is an incredible person, a great student and a tremendous leader for our golf team."

Lambeth, who began his collegiate career at Appalachian State, transferred to Huntingdon this season after spending five years in the United States Marine Corps. During part of his time in the Marine Corps, he served on the President's security detail.

He also continued to play golf, playing on the All-Marine team and helping the United States win the Conseil International du Sport Militaire (CISM) Golf Championship in 2012.

This season Lambeth earned first-team All-American, All-Region and All-Conference honors as he helped lead Huntingdon to the Division III national tournament for the first time since 2012. Lambeth was also named a Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-American Scholar.

The Hawks shot 1,204 and finished six strokes out of first in the national tournament. The second-place finish was the best for Huntingdon during the NCAA era.

Lambeth played to a three-way tie for first through 72 holes in the national tournament with an 8-over-par 295. After a playoff hole, he finished tied for second, matching the best individual finish by a Huntingdon golfer during the NCAA era.

For the season, Lambeth averaged 72.37 per round, won two tournaments and finished in the top-five eight times in 11 tournaments. He shot par-or-better 14 times in 27 rounds, including nine straight par-or-better rounds. His win in the Emory Spring Invitational (66-67 – 133) was the lowest two-round total by a Hawk during the NCAA era.

"What an honor for Addison to win the Don Scalf Award. This is what Division III athletics is all about," Huntingdon Director of Golf Dave Schreyer said. "Addison has shown excellence in the classroom as well as on the course. I am very proud of the year he has had."

The award is named in honor of Don Scalf, whose commitment to the student-athlete, guardianship of the value of academic achievement and devotion to the principles of Division III athletics set a standard that holds steadfast in the USA South Athletic Conference today.

He taught for 36 years and coached for 18 years at North Carolina Wesleyan College. He also served as athletic director at N.C. Wesleyan for six years. During his coaching career his teams won Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference basketball and golf championships. In addition, he was a founding father of the DIAC in 1963 and served as its Secretary-Treasurer for 25 years.

To view the list of past Don Scalf Award winners, click here.