Heavner Named A-Sun Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year

MACON, Ga. (MERCER RELEASE) – Men’s soccer senior defender Joey Heavner continues to improve his resume as one of the most complete student-athletes in Mercer history as he was named the Atlantic Sun Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Monday afternoon.

Mercer has now won the A-Sun Men’s Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year award in each of the first three years of its existence, with Heavner winning this season and former teammate Will Betts taking home the honors in 2011 and 2012.

Heavner is not alone on the 2013 Academic All-Conference team, as senior Ryan King and sophomore David Murtaugh also joined him on the squad. As a whole, Mercer had a league-high three players selected and have had a league-best eight players voted onto the team since its inception in 2011.

For Heavner, who was also voted onto the Academic All-Conference team in 2011, the honor is his second major award in the last two weeks as he was also recently named a Capital One Academic All-District 4 first team selection.

Heavner has had strong bounce back season in 2013 after missing all of last season due to injury. The Landisville, Pa. native has appeared in all 19 of Mercer’s games this season and has six assists to date which ranks tied for first in the A-Sun Conference.

For his career, Heavner is now the owner of the most assists in a career in Mercer program history (23) and the most games started in a career in A-Sun Conference history (78).

King has now made it back-to-back seasons voted onto the Academic All-Conference team as he also received the honor in 2012. Fresh off his first A-Sun Conference Player of the Week award earlier today, King has been instrumental in Mercer’s late season postseason push finishing the campaign with six points on one goal and four assists.

The Academic All-Conference team selection for Murtaugh is the first postseason honor for the Bears crafty midfielder. The Peachtree City, Ga. native finished 2013 ranking tied for second on the team and tied for seventh in the A-Sun with 10 points on three goals and four assists.

No. 4 Mercer now turns its attention to the first round of the A-Sun Championship where it will take on No. 5 North Florida on November 13. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the FGCU Soccer Complex in Fort Myers, Fla.