Each year the USA South Athletic Conference presents its most prestigious awards by honoring one male and one female as the Student-Athletes of the Year. These student-athletes are recognized as recipients of the Don Scalf Award (male) and Rita Wiggs Award (female). To be eligible for each award a student-athlete must have competed in an NCAA-sponsored sport, earned an undergraduate degree no later than the summer term and have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale. Each award focuses on the full collegiate career of the student-athlete from academic, athletic and community service aspects.

Prior to the 2019-20 academic year, a male and female earned the Don Scalf Awards. In the 2006-07 academic year, the NCAA began the NCAA Woman of the Year Award and each Conference selected its own "Woman of the Year". In 2005-06 the USA South Woman of the Year Award was re-named the Rita Wiggs Woman of the Year. Finally, in 2019-20 the USA South consolidated the honors into one male student-athlete of the year (the Scalf Award) and one female student-athlete of the year (the Wiggs Award). Scroll down to see all the past honorees and learn more about the namesakes of the awards.

Don Scalf's 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 Conference today. He taught for 36 years and coached for 18 at N.C. Wesleyan. He also served as Athletic Director at N.C. Wesleyan for six years. During his coaching career his teams won Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (the Conference's name prior to USA South) 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.  (Above Photo: Don Scalf (right) with wife JoAnne, presenting Blake Rice (N.C. Wesleyan) the 2006 Scalf Award.)

Former Commissioner Rita Wiggs. Wiggs, a tireless advocate of women's collegiate athletics as well a constant encourager of service to one's community, was the USA South's first full-time Commissioner serving the League for 16 years. In the spring of 2016 she was inducted into the USA South Hall of Fame. The Wiggs Award honoree is also the Conference's nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. For more information on the NCAA Woman of the Year Award, click HERE. (Above Photo: Rita Wiggs (left) presenting Carson Williams (William Peace) the 2018 Wiggs Award.)

Past Award Winners (click on year for more information, if available)
Don Scalf Award	Rita Wiggs Award
2025 Tristen Melvin, Methodist - Baseball	2025 Sydney Bassett, Southern Virginia - Volleyball
2024 Hunter Hollman, Methodist - Baseball	2024 Maggie Williams, Methodist - Golf
2023 Zach Lyon, N.C. Wesleyan - Baseball	2023 Emma Steiger, Southern Virginia - Volleyball
2022 Ben Luke, Covenant - Tennis	2022 Hannah Thompson, Averett - Softball
2021 Noah Lee, Covenant - Soccer	2021 Kelley Wandell, Maryville - Volleyball, Basketball
2020 Alex Kachler, Methodist - Baseball	2020 Shannon Reagan, Maryville - Soccer
2019 Female: Lindsey Pritchard, Methodist - Cross Country, Track & Field Male: John Mitchell Benton, LaGrange - Tennis	2019 Lindsey Pritchard, Methodist - Cross Country, Track & Field
2018 Female: Carlee Joseph, Meredith - Lacrosse Male: Larkin Gross, Methodist - Golf	2018 Carson Williams, William Peace - Volleyball
2017 Female: Jessica Long, Averett - Softball Male: Logan Lanier, LaGrange - Golf	2017 Jessica Long, Averett - Softball
2016 Female: Mackenzie Puckett, Maryville - Basketball Male: Addison Lambeth, Huntingdon - Golf	2016 Ruth Terry, Covenant - Soccer
2015 Female: Nicole Barringer, Averett - Volleyball Male: Cory Howard, LaGrange - Golf	2015 Nicole Barringer, Averett - Volleyball
2014 Female: Allison Sparks, Averett - Volleyball Male: Max Reber, Methodist - Football	2014 Laura Pantlin, Meredith - Cross Country
2013 Female: Sophia Stone, Mary Baldwin - Cross Country Male: Brian Jaeger, Christopher Newport - Golf	2013 Stephanie Green, Christopher Newport - Lacrosse
2012 Female: Paige Aaron, Averett - Volleyball Male: Paul Jaglowski, Ferrum - Basebal	2012 Mackenzie Tingle, N.C. Wesleyan - Volleyball
2011 Female: Caitlyn Jansen, Christopher Newport - Volleyball Male: Greg Van Sickler, Shenandoah - Baseball	2011 Cara Jacobs, Ferrum - Lacrosse
2010 Female: Michelle Lemmon, Greensboro - Tennis Male: Andrew Clark, Greensboro - Soccer	2010 Michelle Lemmons, Greensboro - Tennis
2009 Female: Catherine Beuerle, Shenandoah - Softball Male: Andrew Clark, Greensboro - Soccer	2009 Erin Wojtkun, Christopher Newport - Soccer
2008 Female: Carrie Pacifico, Greensboro - Tennis Male: Daniel Poindexter, Greensboro - Baseball	2008 Jenne Johnson, Greensboro - Softball
2007 Female: Ashley Glover, Christopher Newport - Soccer Male: Wilson Paine, Ferrum - Tennis	2007 Ashley Glover, Christopher Newport - Soccer
2006 Female: Kimberly Cox, Ferrum - Softball Male: Blake Rice, N.C. Wesleyan - Baseball
2005 Female: Christina Gipson, Methodist - Soccer Male: Scott Swann, Averett - Football
2004 Female: Aimee Gibbs, Christopher Newport - Cross Country Male: Jonathan Dudley, Greensboro - Golf
2003 Female: Aimee Gibbs, Christopher Newport - Cross Country Male: Janne Mommo, Averett - Golf
2002 Female: Misty Cameal, N.C. Wesleyan - Basketball Male: Kevin O'Connell, Greensboro - Golf
2001 Female: Kelly Gregory, Averett - Soccer, Volleyball, Tennis Male: Jered Gusso, Methodist - Golf
1998 Female: Deanna Estes, Shenandoah - Basketball, Lacrosse
1997 Female: Amy Cross, Averett - Cross Country, Basketball, Tennis
1996 Female: Amy Cross, Averett - Cross Country, Basketball, Tennis Male: Pertti Viskari, Averett - Tennis