NORFOLK, Va. – Nesly Marcellon of Bethune-Cookman University was named the 2014 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Male Student-Athlete of the Year, the conference announced today. Marcellon will be awarded the honor during a special on-campus event to be announced at a later time.
"I am pleased to congratulate Nesly Marcellon as the 2014 MEAC Male Student-Athlete of the Year," said MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas. "Mr. Marcellon has displayed academic and athletic excellence, hard work, dedication and service in the community throughout his stint at Bethune-Cookman University. I further congratulate Mr. Marcellon's parents, the B-CU administrators, athletic and academic support staffs and coaches who have guided Mr. Marcellon throughout his collegiate journey."
Marcellon was a four-year letterman and two-year starter at outside linebacker for the Wildcats' football team. During his collegiate career, Marcellon played in 41 games, recording 104 tackles, 59 solo, and amassed three sacks for a loss of 28 yards. He was selected to the Capital One Academic All-District (District Four) Team.
Marcellon was a 2009 and 2012 Bethune-Cookman Presidential Award Recipient, and was also a member of the B-CU Honor Roll (2009, 2010 and 2011) and Dean's List (2012 and 2013). He was awarded the B-CU Wildcat Academic Excellence Award, recognizing the student-athlete with the highest GPA on the team in 2012 and 2013. He was also selected in 2012 after boasting a 3.7 GPA during the MEAC/SWAC Challenge as a nominee for the Walter Payton Achievement Award.
Marcellon graduated in May 2014 with a degree in Business Administration and Accounting, accumulating a 3.52 GPA.
In the community, Marcellon volunteered with the Sickle Cell Association. He also was a member of the Black Executive Exchange Program (BEEP). BEEP, a campus based program, directly addresses the National Urban League's priority to ensure the academic preparation and social development of African American college students.
Marcellon becomes just the third student-athlete to be honored as the conference's Male Student-Athlete of the Year. Last year North Carolina Central's Joseph Hutchinson was named the recipient.
The Male Student-Athlete of the Year honor is provided to the student-athlete who has excelled academically and athletically and is in his final season of intercollegiate athletics eligibility and competition under MEAC and NCAA regulations for the sport in which the student-athlete was nominated.
Each of the MEAC's 13-member institutions may nominate one male student-athlete for the honor. The honoree is selected by a committee of five conference Directors of Athletics that use a combination of the following criteria in selection of the award: service and leadership, academic achievement, and athletics excellence.
MEAC Male Student-Athlete of the Year Honorees
2012 Jared Baldwin, North Carolina A&T (Track and Field)
2013 Joseph Hutchinson, North Carolina Central (Football)
2014 Nesly Marcellon, Bethune-Cookman (Football)