PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla.—Christian Brothers University senior cross country runner
Stephen Hill (Collierville, Tenn., Houston HS) won the Gulf South Conference's Commissioner's Trophy, the highest award for a Gulf South Conference student-athlete, recognizing excellence on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.
Hill shined in all three phases during his illustrious career at CBU, leading the school to its four highest finishes in the GSC and South Regional Championships. He won four races, including three as a senior, and he led CBU to two race crowns as a senior.
He was a four-time first-team All-GSC and first-team All-South Region selection, earning an individual berth in the NCAA Division II National Championships three times. He was a first-team USTFCCCA All-American as a freshman, narrowly missing the award as a sophomore and again as a senior. He finished 63rd of 152 runners in the 2009 Nationals.
Hill's unparalleled success and leadership at CBU extended well beyond the cross-country course.
In the classroom, Hill graduated with a 3.85 GPA as he earned his degree in Biochemical Engineering, with a minor in Chemistry. He won the Chemical/Biochemical Engineering Award and the Outstanding School of Engineering Graduate award at CBU. He was a unanimous choice for Academic All-GSC as a senior, his third straight year winning the award. He was also a three-time USTFCCCA All-Academic Team member.
Hill's excellence on the course and in the classroom is only matched by his service record. On campus, Hill was a four-year officer in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, including a term as president as a senior. He helped CBU's Up 'til Dawn program raise over $30,000 annually for St. Jude, earning CBU's Creative Program of the Year award for directing an 11-mile fundraising run.
His service extended well beyond Memphis, however, as he served on two mission trips to Managua, Nicaragua and two more to Panama City Beach, Fla., where he served in a variety of ways ranging from providing free vision clinics and renovating seminaries in Managua to helping provide a safe environment for Spring Break students in Florida.
Hill is CBU's second Commissioner's Trophy winner, following Margaret Saurin, who won the 2003 women's trophy. He was the Bucs' third finalist in four years, following John Raymond Hehn in 2006 and Matt Werakso in 2007. He was also the first cross country runner since 1987 to win the award.