SUWANEE, Ga. -- In exclusive voting by the senior woman administrators of the conference, Michael Grimm of Southwestern University has been selected the 2025 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Man of the Year.
The SCAC Man of the Year award recognizes senior student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service, and leadership. The inaugural SCAC Man of the Year was presented in 2013.
A native of Southlake, Texas, Grimm graduated with a 3.70 grade-point average earning a degree in business and a minor in economics. He ended his career with the Pirates being named the 2025 Southwestern Male Athlete of the Year after earning a First Team All-Conference nod in his final three seasons and a pair of SCAC All-Tournament honors.
Grimm helped guide Southwestern to its first national ranking in the 2024 season, reaching as high as #18 in the United Soccer Coaches (USC) NCAA Division III Rankings. He earned USC Second Team All-Region honors following his senior season after claiming a spot on the Third Team All-Region listing in 2023.
"In his four years on our campus, Michael Grimm has been nothing short of extraordinary," said Dustin Norman, head men's soccer coach at Southwestern. "It has been an absolute privilege to work with him on a daily basis. The example Michael set in his time here as a student, competitor, and servant has left a significant and lasting impact on not only our players and program but myself as well."
Grimm was named a USC Scholar All-American in 2024 and was a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection. He also was active in the campus community serving as activity facilitator in the Economic Society and as hearings chairman on the Honor Code Council. He was selected as a team captain in 2023 and 2024.
Southwestern men's soccer also partnered with Team IMPACT during Grimm's career. Team IMPACT pairs children facing serious illness or disability with college sports teams, allowing both parties to make life-changing connections. "
"I’ll never forget Elias’ radiant laugh and his charismatic smile that could light up a room as he was welcomed into our team huddle for the first time," said Grimm, referencing the young man who joined the Southwestern men’s soccer team through Team IMPACT in January of 2024. "From that day forward, I realized soccer was more than a sport; it was a bridge, and my time as a collegiate athlete at Southwestern University had a greater purpose."
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Brady Dygert, football, Austin College
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Curtis Hale, soccer, Colorado College
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Jack Manke, soccer, Texas Lutheran University
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JonConnor Rule, soccer, Trinity University
To read about past winners of the SCAC Man-of-the-Year award, click here.
Year-by-year SCAC Man of the Year Honorees:
2025 - Michael Grimm, soccer, Southwestern University
2024 - James Settles, cross country/track & field, Colorado College
2023 - AJ Clark, basketball, Trinity University
2022 - Cole Thumann, swimming, Colorado College
2021 - Cameron Krimbill, tennis, Trinity University
2020 - Alexis Dimanche, tennis, Southwestern University
2019 - Riley Schaefer, baseball, Texas Lutheran University
2018 - Keenan Gumbs, basketball, Schreiner University
2017 - Soren Frykholm, soccer, Colorado College
2016 - Madison Ross, football, Austin College
2015 – Aaron Skinner, tennis, Trinity University
2014 – Kaleb Roush, swimming, Colorado College
2013 – Nick Lammers, soccer, Colorado College
