The 2020 recipient of the MWAC Male Athlete of the Year is Mason Ghidina, Parkland College.
During the Fall 2019 golf season, Ghidina helped lead the Cobras to a 39-3 record, taking first-place in three of the five tournaments in which they participated. In addition to earning the Mid-West Athletic Conference title, Parkland won the IVCC Fall Invitational and the Wabash College Classic. The Cobras finished with a No. 4 national ranking in the final Bushnell Golfweek Coach's poll.
Ghidina, a sophomore from Pekin, Illinois, was ranked as the 14th best player in the nation by the GCAA. He recorded a 72.8 stroke average over 9 rounds this season, winning the IVCC Fall Invitational and sharing medalist honors at the MWAC Championship.
In recognition of his success, Ghidina was selected to the GCAA Ping All-American Second Team as well as the MWAC All-Conference Team.
"This is a big-time honor for Mason to be selected as MWAC Male Athlete of the Year," stated Cobras Head Coach Corbin Sebens. "He was ranked #1 in the conference all year and finished the season ranked Top 15 in the country."
The 2020 recipient of the MWAC Female Athlete of the Year is Kate Volk, Lincoln Land Community College.
During the 2019 volleyball season, Volk helped lead the Loggers to 32 wins. Her season assist total is 2nd in LLCC history along with more 50-assist matches than any other setter in school history. Volk finished third on the team in digs and fourth in blocks. Her assist total led all of NJCAA volleyball in 2019. For her success on the court, Volk was named NJCAA 1st-team all-American, MWAC Player of the Year, and 1st-team all-Region 24. In the classroom, Volk completed the year with a 4.00 GPA and was named to the NJCAA Academic all-American squad.
"Kate had a great season for us, but what I appreciate beyond the skills are her intangibles such as her work ethic and integrity. Regardless of this award, Kate will not stop putting the work in to get better. As a coach, you always love players like her."