BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Gulf South Conference announced its 26th annual GSC "Top Ten" Award winners and Lee men's golfer, Beck Burnette and cross country and track and field star, Celine Ritter have received the honors.

The award recognizes the top female and top male student-athletes for their athletic, academic, and extracurricular achievement during the 2021-22 academic year. The top male and top female from each group of honorees will be awarded the Commissioner's Trophy, which is the conference's most prestigious award.

Ritter is the first female back-to-back Top Ten winner since Chloe Richards (North Alabama) in 2016 and 2017. She claimed GSC Female Athlete of the Year honors last season. She is a two-time indoor track and field national champion (3k) and was named GSC Cross Country Runner of the Year and both the GSC Indoor and Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year.

The female winners are Ritter; Kwajelin Farrar (Valdosta State, Basketball); Anele Komani (West Alabama, Soccer); Johanna Wistokat (Christian Brothers, Cross Country and Track & Field); and Emma Young (Mississippi College, Soccer).

Burnette is coming off helping the Flames win the program's first NCAA National Championship in school history last Friday at the TPC at Michigan. He was tabbed as a First Team All-American and is sixth in the nation in scoring average at 70.97. Burnette was named First Team All-GSC and also helped the Flames capture the program's first GSC Championship this season back in April.

The male honorees are Burnette; Andrew Elkins (Auburn Montgomery, Soccer); Zach Hancock (Alabama Huntsville, Track & Field); Gabe Poulin (Mississippi College, Cross Country and Track & Field); and Brian Saunds (Valdosta State, Football).

The GSC Top Ten Award winners are selected with the assistance of an advisory committee representing the Athletic Directors, Senior Woman Administrators, Sports Information Directors, Faculty Athletic Representatives, and Presidents from randomly selected GSC schools, which makes a recommendation to the Commissioner, who has the final decision.

The ten winners are now up for consideration for the GSC Commissioner's Trophy, which will be awarded to one male and one female, and will be announced Thursday, June 2 in Pensacola, Fla.

 PAST TOP TEN WINNERS