HIGH POINT, N.C.- Queens University of Charlotte's Michael Crouch has been selected as the Conference Carolinas 2008-2009 Male Athlete of the Year as announced by the conference office on Wednesday, June 17.  This prestigious award is presented annually to both a male and female student-athlete in recognition of their outstanding athletic contributions and achievement. The award is Queens' its third male honoree (1997-98 Soce Faye & 2003-04 Spencer Ross).

Crouch had an outstanding first year at Queens. Starting in the fall, the junior from Yucca Valley, California earned All-American status by finishing third in the Cross Country National Championships, the highest finisher for any Queens or Conference Carolinas men's cross country runner. Crouch placed second at the Southeast Regional meet, helping Queens win the region title and also qualifying for the NCAA national event. 

 During the outdoor track season Crouch was once named the Conference Carolinas Men's Track Athlete of the week just before setting a track record in the 10,000-meter run at the conference championship.  He would go on to win the event and also qualify for the same race at the National Championship. He also lent his speed to the Royals 4x400-meter relay team and helped them capture the event conference title. From that the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA) tabbed Crouch as the top Male Track Athlete of the Region. 

 At the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship, Crouch captured his Queens and Conference Carolinas first National Championship in outdoor track. Crouch beat out the 2009 National Track Athlete of the Year in the last 100-meters to win the 1,500-meter title, with a time of 3:49.83, and his third All-American award.

 Overall for the year, Crouch earned three All-American distinctions, won two National Titles and was a two-time Southeast Region Track Athlete of the Year, three-time Conference Carolinas Athlete of the week and a four-time recipient of the Queens InterCon Student-Athlete of the Month award (Note: includes indoor track & field).

Winning the Female Athlete of the Year title was Limestone's Lauryn Wise,  a senior women's lacrosse player from Pasadena, Maryland.  Wise was the Conference Carolinas female nominee for the prestigious NCAA female sportsmanship award which will be decided-on later this summer.  Lauryn's on the field accolades include being a First-Team All-American, First-Team All-Region, First-Team All-Conference, Conference Player of the Year,  two-time Player of the Week recipient, WomensLacrosse.com First-Team All-American, and two-time WomensLacrosse.com Honor Roll honoree.