Posted: Jun 12, 2020

USA South Awards 2020 Postgraduate Scholarships

From the USA South Athletic Conference

The USA South Athletic Conference is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2020 League's Postgraduate Scholarships. This program is a one-year, one-time, renewable (two years total) $1,500 per-year scholarship awarded annually to one female and one male student-athlete who participated at a USA South institution and meet the stated criteria. The 2020 recipients are Lexie DeVuyst from Huntingdon College and Mitch Layton from N.C. Wesleyan College. The selections were made by a panel of institutional Faculty Athletic Representatives (FAR) along with USA South Conference Office personnel.

To be eligible, the applicant must be a graduating senior by the spring term of the current academic year, earned two varsity letters in a USA South sponsored sport, accumulated at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale and be nominated by their institution's FAR. The applicants were asked to complete an application form signed by the FAR, supply two letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a faculty member in the nominee's major course of study, write an essay describing how being a student-athlete has prepared the nominee for the future and present an official transcript.

Lexie DeVuyst - Huntingdon College

DeVuyst, a four-year member of the Huntingdon College indoor volleyball team and a three-year member of the sand volleyball squad, concluded her collegiate career this past fall. As a senior during the indoor season, she appeared in all 38 matches for the Hawks. DeVuyst majored in Exercise Science with a Mathematics minor and maintained a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade point average while being a constant on the Dean's High Honors List as well as the USA South Academic All-Conference team. She earned several institutional awards including the Margaret Read Scholarship Medal, given to the students who earned the highest grade-point averages in the graduating class, as well as the Mathematics Faculty Award, given to the students who have exhibited the greatest potential in the areas of creativity, innovation, scholarship, and service to the mathematical sciences. Outside of the classroom, DeVuyst served as a three-year Senator within HC's Student Government Association and was a member of the Student Alumni Association. She also dedicated many hours to several causes including the Make-A-Wish Foundation as a member of the Chi Omega Sorority while also reading to local school children. DeVuyst will continue her education within the University of Florida's Doctor of Physical Therapy program. After shadowing a physical therapist in high school, DeVuyst was immediately interested in the profession and its goal of helping motivate others to better themselves.

What they're saying ...

"Lexie is the true embodiment of a 'program-over-self' mindset. She was a member of my first recruitment class here at Huntingdon. Lexie is one of three team members of that class to finish and graduate this year. Her first season, we finished 5-10 in conference play and lost in the first round of the conference tournament. Her senior season, we were 11-3 in conference, hosted the first round and quarterfinals and earned a trip to the conference tournament semifinals.

"Until her senior season she did not have a starting role on the court. But you would never know that if you stepped foot into our practice gym. She always gave 100-percent relentless effort, had an impeccable attitude, was coachable and bought into her growth as a college libero. In her first three seasons, Lexie was always ready to be called upon, in any match, in any set. I couldn't have been more thrilled for her this past season, after all of her hard work and dedication to our program, to see her earn the starting libero position. She honestly became the libero this team needed to succeed. She was the perfect example to the incoming freshmen we had this season who were working under her. They knew her story and because of her, they all bought in and put in work every day and took ownership over their role on the team.

"Lexie is beyond special and has been loved by her teammates year-after-year. I am going to miss her very much but know without a doubt, her fingerprints will continue to be all over this program as we climb year-after-year. She took her time at Huntingdon and valued each and every moment and did not waste the opportunities she was offered. Lexie DeVuyst is the true definition of a NCAA Division III Student Athlete." -- Latonia Brady, Huntingdon Head Volleyball Coach

"I am very proud of Lexie for earning the USA South Postgraduate Scholarship. Lexie has demonstrated an exemplary work ethic as a student-athlete and this scholarship is a testament of her success while at Huntingdon. I am excited to see what the future holds for Lexie as she pursues her career in Physical Therapy." -- Dr. Sara Shoffner, Huntingdon Faculty Athletic Representative

"This is certainly good news during a time where it's hard to come by. I would like to thank the conference committee for recognizing her achievements. Lexie has been a part of one of the biggest turnarounds for any of our teams, in recent history, and she has obviously excelled off the court within our exercise science program. I am proud of Lexie for being Huntingdon's first USA South Postgraduate Scholarship winner and excited for her next steps at the University of Florida." -- Eric Levanda, Huntingdon Director of Athletics

Mitch Layton - N.C. Wesleyan College

Layton concluded his time on the basketball court this past winter for the Battling Bishops as he led the team in rebounding. Prior to the 2019-20 season, Layton started just one game but was a fixture in N.C. Wesleyan's starting-five this winter. Layton, who majored in Biomedical Science with a pre-med concentration, accumulated a 3.98 cumulative grade point average. He was a four-time member of the USA South Academic All-Conference team, appeared on the President's List eight times, was a two-time recipient of N.C. Wesleyan's Moe Bauer Sportsmanship, a two-time National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court member and a back-to-back N.C. Wesleyan Male Student-Athlete of the Year. Layton served the NCWC community as a peer tutor and supplemental instructor for the Student Success Center, a Vice President for the National Society of Leadership and Success Chapter and a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Layton has volunteered as a tutor at Thorne Chapel Baptist Church as well as the Nash/Rocky Mount-Edgecombe Boys and Girls Club and is currently a part of the Edgecombe County Rescue Squad. Finally, Layton's prospective post-graduate area of study is a master's degree to become a physician's assistant. This allows Layton to continue pursuing his two passions which are helping others and medicine.