June 22, 2010

RICHMOND, Va. - George Mason senior men's soccer player Richard Edgar was selected as the Colonial Athletic Association Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year in voting by the league's 12 sports information directors. Edgar is the second student-athlete in school history to win the prestigious award. Chris Looze of the Patriots' baseball team won the award during the 2004-05 season.

The conference selected a Scholar-Athlete of the Year in each of its 22 championship sports this season, and those winners were placed on the ballot for the Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. All of the winners were a starter or important reserve on their team and had a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or higher. Not only did the finalists excel in the classroom, but also as athletes, with 18 of the Scholar-Athletes earning All-CAA honors this season.

Edgar received the CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year award in men's soccer for the second year in a row. The senior, who majored in psychology, became the first men's soccer player from George Mason to earn First-Team Academic All-America honors from CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine. He also made the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award Senior All-America First-Team in 2009 and was a George Mason Scholar-Athlete Award winner.

On the field, Edgar earned Second-Team All-CAA honors as a midfielder for the second year in a row. In 2008, Edgar was a member of the CAA All-Tournament squad after helping lead Mason to its first CAA title since 1989. The Mechanicsville, Md. native made the All-CAA third team in 2007 and was a CAA All-Rookie Team pick in 2006.

The CAA Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award was won by Kelsey Cutchins of the James Madison field hockey team. Cutchins is the first person to repeat as the winner of the CAA Male or Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award since its inception in 2002-03.

CAA SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS
2002-03
Male: Pedro Nieto, Tennis, VCU
Female: Kristine Austgulen, Basketball, VCU
2003-04
Male: Adam Hess, Basketball, William and Mary
Female: Nataly Cahana, Tennis, Old Dominion
2004-05
Male: Chris Looze, Baseball, George Mason
Female: Michelle Jarman, Golf, UNC Wilmington
2005-06
Male: Michael Krayer, Swimming, UNC Wilmington
Female: Janelle Engle, Field Hockey, Old Dominion
2006-07
Male: Keith Bechtol, Cross Country/Track & Field, William and Mary
Female: Melissa Milstead, Swimming, UNC Wilmington
2007-08
Male: Ryan Overdevest, Soccer, William and Mary
Female: Sue Weber, Soccer, Hofstra
2008-09
Male: Aleksandr Seleznev, Tennis, Old Dominion
Female: Kelsey Cutchins, Field Hockey, James Madison
2009-10
Male: Richard Edgar, Soccer, George Mason
Female: Kelsey Cutchins, Field Hockey, James Madison