DALLAS — UTSA senior Hunter Duplessis has been named the 2020-21 Conference USA Football Scholar Athlete of the Year, the league office announced Wednesday.
Duplessis is one of 17 scholar-athletes across the league's 19 sports (indoor and outdoor track & field are combined) selected by C-USA faculty athletics representatives. The awards are presented to the top student-athlete in each conference-sponsored sport based on academic achievement (GPA), athletic achievement and service.
An honorable mention All-American by Phil Steele and a first-team all-conference selection in 2020, Duplessis made 17 of 20 field goals and 40 of 41 extra points, marks that rank second on the school's single-season list. The Lou Groza Award semifinalist ranked ninth nationally in field goals made, 21st in field-goal percentage (.850) and 25th in field goals per game (1.42), and he scored a UTSA-record 91 points, good for second in C-USA.
A standout in the classroom, Duplessis was a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, a first-team CoSIDA Academic All-District choice and a C-USA All-Academic Team selection. He graduated in August 2020 with a 3.78 GPA as a double major in information systems and cyber security. A five-time member of the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll, he currently is continuing coursework in technology management.
Duplessis has been active in the community throughout his UTSA career. A two-time selection for the football team's Leadership Council, Duplessis is a member of the Society for Collegiate Leadership & Achievement, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and "The Banquet Table" student group. He has volunteered his time with the San Antonio Food Bank, Haven for Hope (local homeless shelter) and UTSA's Rowdy Readers program that visits local elementary schools.
2020-21 Conference USA Scholar Athlete Award Winners
| Baseball | Mitchell Hartigan, Florida Atlantic |
| Men's Basketball | Max Fielder, Rice |
| Women's Basketball | Nancy Mulkey, Rice |
| Men's Cross Country | Hociel Landa, Rice |
| Women's Cross Country | Grace Forbes, Rice |
| Football | Hunter Duplessis, UTSA |
| Men's Golf | Nick Robillard, UAB |
| Women's Golf | Mary Joiner, WKU |
| Men's Soccer | Pedro Dolabella, Marshall |
| Women's Soccer | Merideth Hamby, Charlotte |
| Softball | Summer Burgess, Middle Tennessee |
| Women's Swimming & Diving | Ellery Parish, Rice |
| Men's Tennis | Sumit Sarkar, Rice |
| Women's Tennis | Elizabeth Stefancic, Marshall |
| Men's Track & Field | Corbett Fong, Rice |
| Women's Track & Field | Grace Forbes, Rice |
| Volleyball | Sydney Rowan, Charlotte |
Duplessis is the second UTSA football student-athlete to earn the C-USA Scholar Athlete of the Year award, joining 2013-14 honoree Nate Leonard.
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