The Summit League Scholar-Athlete Spotlight: Southern Utah

Each month, The Summit League will feature outstanding student-athlete performances from a selected institution as recognized by its Faculty Athletic Representative. The April installment of The Summit League Scholar-Athlete Spotlight features three student-athletes from Southern Utah.

Heather Black, Softball
Eligibility Year/Hometown: Sr./Lancaster, Calif.
Major: Athletic Training/Exercise Science
GPA: 3.81

Heather Black was a second-team All-Summit League and Summit League all-tournament team selection in 2011, leading the Thunderbirds in wins (18), shutouts (five), saves (four), innings pitched (230.2) and strikeouts (188). Her strikeout total was the fourth-best single-season performance in school history with her win total even better, ranking No. 3 all-time in the SUU record books. The Lancaster, Calif., native is on pace to finish second in the record books for career strikeouts and wins before completing her eligibility in 2012. Black currently leads the team in wins (12), strikeouts (84) and innings pitched (110.2) (as of March 30).  In addition to her success on the field, Black has also excelled in the classroom, earning Summit League All-Academic Team honors last year. Black already had an Associate Degree from Snow College before coming to Southern Utah and is currently studying athletic training and exercise science with a minor in human nutrition.

Matt Massey, Men's Basketball
Eligibility Year/Hometown: Sr./Brisbane, Australia
Major: MBA
GPA:  3.67

Matt Massey has been at Southern Utah for four years and started three of those at forward/center for the men's basketball team. He is also a two-year Captain leading SUU to a much improved season this year. His career highlight came this year when SUU battled back from a 14-point deficit with two minutes to go, eventually beating Oakland in the first round of The Summit League Tournament. He was named to the Great Alaskan Shootout All-Tournament Team his junior year averaging 17 points per game. Off the court, Matt graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor's degree in finance, earning a position locally with Zion's Bank where he still works. As a junior, Massey made The Summit League Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence and was named to the All-Summit League Academic Team. Since then he has worked toward completing his MBA in July 2012 and upon graduating he hopes to purse basketball in his native country of Australia.

Diana Medina-Mitchell, Cross Country/Track & Field
Eligibility Year/Hometown: Sr./Hurricane, Utah
Major: Math Education
GPA:  3.40

Diana Medina-Mitchell is a senior majoring in math education with a minor in Spanish. Diana graduates from SUU this May and hopes to start teaching math in the fall at either a middle or high school. This past indoor season, Medina-Mitchell took first-place finishes in the mile, 3,000-meters and 5,000-meters at The Summit League Championships. Earlier this year, she won the league cross country title and MVP honors. She took first-place finishes in both the 5,000-meters and 10,000-meters and a fourth-place finish in the 1,500-meters at the 2011 Outdoor Track & Field Summit League Championships. Medina-Mitchell represented SUU at the NCAA Regional Championship in 2011, finishing 19th in the 5,000-meter run. That year she was also named USTFCCCA All-Academic selection. In 2010, she won an indoor league title in the 5k and in 2009 she took second at The Summit League Cross Country championships, helping the team win the league crown. Also in 2009, Medina-Mitchell took first place in the 5k at the Outdoor Track & Field Summit League Championships as well as represented SUU at the NCAA West Region championships.