AMERICUS, Ga. - Georgia Southwestern State University sophomore infielder Matthew Mamatas has been selected to receive a NCAA Degree Completion scholarship.

The NCAA established the Division II Degree Completion Award Program in 2001 to provide deserving student-athletes financial assistance for them to complete their first baccalaureate degree. The selection process for the national award emphasizes the academic performance of the student-athlete. Other factors considered are financial circumstances, athletic achievement and involvement in campus and community activities. Applicants must be within 36 semester hours of graduation.

A total of 75 Division II student-athletes earned the award this year. It's the fourth time in school history that GSW has had a recipient.

"We are very happy and excited for Matthew," Associate Director of Athletics Christie Ward said. "He has been an excellent student-athlete for us both on and off the field not only as a part of the baseball program but also as a very active member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Even with all the hurdles that have arisen over this past year and half with COVID, Matthew has been and is the epitome of what a student-athlete should be: hardworking, dedicated, and resilient."

Mamatas, a business management major, currently holds a 3.64 grade point average. He is a three-year member of the GSW baseball team. Mamatas has played in 102 games during his Hurricanes career and compiled a .268 batting average with 110 hits, including 22 doubles. He has a career .328 on-base percentage.

Mamatas joins Dakota Long (2018), Haley Goodson (2017) and Earl Dupree (2017) as GSW recipients of the scholarship.   

Nearly $6 million has been given to approximately 1,400 deserving student-athletes since the program's inception. Of those student-athletes who have received the award, 90 percent have earned their undergraduate degree using this program.