Viscusi Named SAC Scholar-Athlete

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Mars Hill senior Jessica Viscusi has been named the South Atlantic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year for women's cross country. She earned the honor for her achievements in academics, athletics, service and leadership.

A Chemistry major from Bryson City, N.C. with a 3.85 GPA, Viscusi has made the Dean's List and SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll the last three years. Viscusi is a Bonner Scholarship recipient, a Grayson Scholarship recipient and Marshbanks-Anderson Honor Scholarship recipient. She has been named to the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic team twice in her career.

Viscusi qualified for her second consecutive NCAA Championship meet with a third place finish in the Southeast Regional meet on November 22. She was named to the USTFCCCA All-Region team last week and earned AstroTurf SAC Runner of the Week honors three times this season as well as First Team All-SAC honors after finishing in third place at the SAC Championships on November 8. Viscusi was the individual winner of the season-opening Catawba Invitational on September 5 and holds the second and third-fastest 5K times in school history.

On campus Viscusi is the vice president of the Chemistry Club, the Student Government Association senior class treasurer and a SAAC representative. Viscusi is active in the Mars Hill community, having volunteered at the Madison County food drive, Madison County Day of Service and Madison County backpack program. She has also volunteered as a counselor at the Asheville-Buncombe Community Crisis Ministry, Habitat for Humanity and has been a day camp volunteer at the Swain County Recreation Park.

The women's cross country selection isn't Viscusi's first SAC Scholar-Athlete Award as she was the inaugural women's track recipient in April, 2014.

The SAC Faculty Athletic Representatives Committee selects the winner in each of the conference's 18 championship sports.