Dean's Lynch-Rexroth, Regis' Anderson Share GNAC Man of the Year Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WINTHROP, Mass. – In just the second year since the award's creation, Dean College men's basketball's Jordan Lynch-Rexroth and Regis College track & field's Cole Anderson have been announced as co-winners of the 2021 GNAC Man of the Year. 

The winners were selected following the same parameters as the NCAA's Woman of the Year Program, which is centered on academic achievement, athletics excellence, service & leadership, and a personal statement.

This year's other four finalists were Garrett Scahill of Colby-Sawyer College swimming & diving; Jesus Lucart of Eastern Nazarene College; Morgan Mercier of Emmanuel College men's lacrosse/soccer; and Jack Casale of Saint Joseph's College of Maine men's basketball.

JORDAN LYNCH-REXROTH | DEAN MEN'S BASKETBALL/VOLLEYBALL
3.90 GPA | Exercise Science

Lynch-Rexroth graduated from Dean with an impressive 3.90 GPA as an Exercise Science major, averaging 13.3 points and 6.9 rebounds while shooting 54.4% in his one year on the hoop hardwood for the Bulldogs under head coach Rico Cabral. During that 2019-20 season in which he garnered All-Conference Second Team honors, the Harrisburg, Pa. native went for 20+ points on four occasions, including a career-high 28 against New England College, and 10+ rebounds five times, highlighted by a career-high 14 boards against Becker. The 6-2 guard came to Dean from Harrisburg Area Community College, where he was also an All-League Second Team selection in 2018-19.

Off the court, the team captain was a Student Ambassador, where he assisted and advised incoming students about Dean's Exercise Science program. He also volunteered at a food bank and in Central Pa. where he was responsible for packaging and delivering goods. Along with being named CoSIDA Academic All-District this past season, Lynch-Rexroth also received the Trustees' Prize for the School of Liberal Arts, the 2021 Georgia Maxwell Wilson and Jeffrey Wilson Scholarship, and was a member of the Chi Alpha Signma National Honor Society en route to Summa Cum Laude recognition. 

Lynch-Rexroth also practiced and participated in organized team activities for Dean's mens volleyball program this past winter/spring but the season did not occur due to COVID-19.

Lynch-Rexroth's personal statement: "I am honored to be chosen as a nominee for this prestigious award. Coming from Harrisburg, Pa. was a challenge on its own, but I had my family's history be my driving force for success. It's hard to fathom that my abilities in the classroom and on the basketball court would allow me the opportunity to travel to another state. In my lone year on the court for Dean, I was able to build a level of confidence in my craft and in myself – a level of confidence I have always felt I lacked, and I am forever grateful for that experience. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic closed the door on my collegiate basketball career before I could enjoy it. I do not believe I was able to fully meet my potential as a player and a leader as team captain. The pandemic opened my eyes in a way of what really matters. Once the ball stopped dribbling, for me it allowed me to use my time to prioritize my future and what matters in life.

Since the pandemic I have been able to help the less fortunate in my city as I was able to volunteer with a food bank the summer of 2020. While the pandemic took away my basketball season, it allowed me to focus most of my time to academics. I have reached my highest level of academic success and achievement, something I am very grateful for. Being at Dean, I was able to participate in multiple Accepted Student days on campus. My role was to guide new students on being a Dean Bulldog. I gave them insight and answers for what it was like being an exercise science major, a basketball player, and a volleyball student-athlete on campus. My experience at Dean gave me the opportunities to accomplish things I never could have by staying in Pennsylvania. The pandemic opened my eyes to see the world in front of me. I cannot just be a basketball player anymore; I must be a person of my community. I want to continue my volunteer work because my city is in desperate need of it. I want to teach youth athletes the importance of sports and fitness. I want to change lives and help them positively. I am just waiting for my time to come."

COLE ANDERSON | REGIS TRACK & FIELD
3.85 GPA | Sports Management

Anderson, who hails from Falmouth, Maine, graduted from Regis with a 3.85 GPA as a Sports Management major and now gets set to become a track & field graduate assistant coach for the Pride. This past spring, he received the Regis-Casserly Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a Regis student-athlete. For his career, the field thrower notched four top-five individual performances at GNAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships, including a first-place toss in the discus throw at the 2018 outdoor meet. He holds the Regis record for the weight throw (indoor) and discus throw (outdoor). 

A two-year captain, Anderson was voted president of the Regis Student Government Association, as well as treasurer of the Pride SAAC. In addition to being a Resident Assistant on campus, he traveled to both South Dakota and New Orleans on service trips in 2018 and 2019. He was also presented with the 2021 Regis Student Affairs Leadership Award, along with the Casserly. 

Anderson's personal statement: "Throughout my undergrad career, the Regis community has played a significant role in my perception of how to positively impact the world. As I entered college in 2017, I had the misunderstanding that college was four years of preparation before I was able to enter the world and make sizable contributions. This mindset could not have been more incorrect. After a service trip to La Plant, S.D. in the summer of 2018, I realized that the undergraduate years are not preparation, but opportunities to benefit others while also on a path of individual success. Thus, throughout the following three years I would seize opportunities that could progressively benefit more and more people, while also educating others on how to do so. Some of these opportunities included three more service trips, becoming a Resident Assistant for my junior and senior years, and most notably having the privilege to serve as the 2020-21 Student Government Association President throughout the difficult times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Aside from extracurricular activities, I realized that perhaps the most important way to aid others in their experience and success was in the classroom. Throughout many conversations with my fantastic advisor Dr. Elizabeth Conant, we were able to build healthy habits and strategies that allowed me to be valuable to peers and other community members. I was given the opportunity to show others the importance of valuing their education and how to make themselves a better student within and outside of the classroom.

The last major area of focus throughout my undergraduate career was athletics. The experience I had with athletics was not similar to others. The majority of success, both as a team and an individual, peaked early. During freshman year, I was fortunate enough to set a school record and assist the team in winning the GNAC Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championship. Although this experience was rewarding, something wasn't right. In my understanding, it felt as though that throughout the entire year, we knew our goal was to try and win a championship. In the following years, our team mentality shifted. It became less about the outcome and more about the pride you feel. Did the championship and the medals feel good at the moment? Yes. Did standing on a podium feel rewarding? Yes. But nothing will ever compare to the pride and sense of importance you feel when you hear a teammate screaming your name from across the track. That is why I love athletics. It has given me the opportunity to be the individual screaming in support. It has given me the opportunity to change others' perception of success from simply showing that you care more than just about yourself. In conclusion, I would like to mention how grateful I am to be nominated for this award. Although any recognition for my previous contributions is highly appreciated, I take an equal amount of enjoyment in knowing that my initiative to positively impact the world was done without any expectation of praise."

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 14 member institutions and over 3,500 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience. 

– #TheGNAC –