BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Texas A&M football player Johnny Manziel and Georgia swimmer Allison Schmitt have been named the 2012-2013 Roy F. Kramer SEC Male and Female Athletes of the Year by a vote of the league’s athletics directors, Commissioner Mike Slive announced today.
“The SEC is very proud to honor Johnny and Allison, as they are outstanding examples of what a student-athlete can accomplish through hard work and dedication.” said SEC Commissioner Mike Slive. “Their commitment to excellence have made them fine representatives of their universities and this conference. We congratulate them and wish them the best in their future endeavors.”
Johnny Manziel became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, Davey O’Brien Award and the Manning Award after leading the Aggies to an 11-2 record in his debut season.
He is the first freshman in FBS history, and the fifth player ever, to have 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a season. Manziel closed his first collegiate campaign as the FBS freshman record-holder for rushing yards by a quarterback (1,343) and for total yards in a season (5,116) and became just the second freshman in FBS history to rush for 1,000 yards and pass for 2,000 yards.
He also set three SEC records with his 5,116 yards of total offense, his 576 total yards in one game and by passing for 3,000 yards and rushing for 1,000 yards in the same season.
His honors for the season include: All-SEC 1st Team, SEC Offensive Player of the Year, SEC Freshman of the Year, AP All-America 1st Team, 1st Team All-America by the Football Writers Association of America, and Associated Press Player of the Year.
The 2013 Honda Sports Award winner as the country’s outstanding female in swimming & diving, Allison Scmitt helped secure Georgia’s fifth national team title with NCAA championship finishes in the 200-yard freestyle and 400 and 800-yard freestyle relays.
The 2012 NCAA individual runner-up is a three-time All-American, and is Alabama’s first two-time first team All-American. A four-year All-SEC selection, she led UA to its first SEC women’s golf title in 2010. She finished her career with a 73.08 scoring average, the second best in UA history.
As a senior set the American and U.S. Open records in the 200-meter freestyle and the American record in the 400-meter freestyle, anchored the 400-meter medley relay that set the World and American records in the 400-meter freestyle relay, and helped the 800-yard freestyle relay set the American, U.S. Open, NCAA, and SEC records
In the 2012 London Olympic Games, she won three gold, one silver and one bronze medal. Overall, she owns six career Olympic medals.
The other male nominees were: Cory Whitsett, Alabama (golf); Kevin Lazas, Arkansas (track & field); Marcelo Chierighini, Auburn (swimming & diving); Omar Craddock, Florida (track & field); Jarvis Jonesi, Georgia (football); Greg Ferrucci, Kentukcy (swimming & diving); Mason Katz, LSU (baseball); Isiah Young, Ole Miss (track & field); Hunter Renfroe, Mississippi State (baseball); David Bonuchi, Missouri (swimming & diving); Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina (football); Mikelis Libietis, Tennessee (tennis); Tony Kemp, Vanderbilt (baseball).
The other female nominees were: Stephanie Meadow, Alabama (golf); Makeba Alcide, Arkansas (track & field); Olivia Scott, Auburn (swimming & diving); Bridget Sloan, Florida (gymnastics); A’dia Mathies, Kentucky (basketball); Kimberlyn Duncan, LSU (track & field); Rafaelle Souza, Ole Miss (soccer); Ally McDonald, Mississippi State (golf); Chelsea Thomas, Missouri (softball); Ieasia Walker, South Carolina (basketball); Tori Lamp, Tennessee (swimming & diving); Breeja Larson, Texas A&M (swimming & diving); Tiffany Clarke, Vanderbilt (basketball).
The SEC Athletes of the Year Awards were first presented in 1976 for men and 1984 for women. The award was renamed the Roy F. Kramer Athletes of the Year in 2004 to honor the former commissioner who served the conference from 1990-2002.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics