BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – Graduate pitcher
Andrew Neff of the Concord baseball team and graduate student
Emily Wallace of the Concord University women's cross country and track & field teams have been named finalists for the Mountain East Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, the league office announced Tuesday afternoon.
Neff, a native of Fredericksburg, Virginia, concluded his illustrious career this past spring after graduating with his master's degree in business administration. He was previously a graduate in Concord's business program in 2023. Neff finished undergraduate work with a 3.84 GPA and sported a 3.75 GPA in his graduate courses. Among the academic accomplishments for Concord's ace on the mound was being a three-time College Sports Communicators' (CSC) Academic All-District selection, an eight-time member of the Concord Dean's List, five appearances on the All-MEC Academic Team and a selection to the Concord Athletic Director's Honor Roll. He was also voted the 2022 Concord Business Scholar of the Year in the area of accounting.
On the diamond, Neff molded himself into one of the best pitchers in program history. He was the 2023 MEC Pitcher of the Year, and a two-time All-MEC First Team member while picking up All-MEC Second Team this spring. Additionally, Neff was named to the All-MEC Tournament Team three times and was named All-Atlantic Region in 2023. Neff set program records in wins (31) and strikeouts (288) at Concord. His 31 wins are tied for most in MEC history.
Outside of baseball and the classroom, Neff was a graduate assistant for the Concord Student Health Center during the 2023-24 school year and has assisted at the Mercer County Veterans' Day Breakfast/Stand Down event.
Neff follows in the footsteps of his older brother, Nathan, who was an MEC Scholar-Athlete Finalist in 2020.
Wallace, a native of Dry Fork, Virginia, had an equally impressive run during her time at CU. After transferring from Wingate prior to the start of the 2020-21 school year, Wallace was a four-time All-MEC First Team performer in cross country and a three-time All-Atlantic Region selection on the course—the only athlete in women's cross country at Concord to be a multi-time all-region honoree. Over the course of three seasons, Wallace was named All-Atlantic Region in five different track events. Wallace was the 2022 MEC Champion in the indoor mile, and leaves Concord as the school record holder in three events: the indoor mile, the indoor 3,000-meters and outdoor 5,000-meters.
In the classroom, Wallace earned her undergraduate degree in elementary education with a 3.58 GPA and rolled through graduate school with a 4.0 in educational leadership from Concord. Wallace has already landed a teaching job back in her home state. Among her academic honors are two appearances on the CSC Academic All-District Team, a three-time selection to the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Team, three more appearances on the MEC Commissioner's Honor Roll and earning All-MEC Academic Team honors this spring.
The MEC Scholar-Athlete winners will be announced Friday.
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