Westfield State University continued its longstanding success in the classroom and on the playing fields as track and field standout Tom Gauger ’13 of Billerica was selected the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletics Conference (MASCAC) 2013 Senior Male Scholar Athlete of the Year.
The award is presented annually to male and female senior student athletes who have excelled both academically and athletically while a student of a Massachusetts state university. To be considered for the award, a student athlete must have achieved at least a 3.2 cumulative grade point average and be in his or her last year of athletic eligibility.
Gauger is the 18th Westfield State student athlete to receive the prestigious MASCAC scholar athlete of the year award since its inception in 1980; nine men and nine women have received it in the past. Westfield State can boast of 18 scholar athlete honorees—the most in the eight-team conference, followed by Fitchburg State with 12. Six Westfield State student athletes have garnered the award in each of the past six years and eight in the past 10 years.
“Westfield State University is proud of Tom’s accomplishments, both athletically and academically. He has been an outstanding representative of Westfield State and the MASCAC,” says Westfield Athletics Director Richard Lenfest.
Gauger graduated from the University on May 17 with a criminal justice degree; he minored in psychology.
He excelled on the national, regional and conference levels as a record-setting performer in the pole vault. He was a four-time national qualifier and earned All-America honors twice, placing fourth in the 2013 NCAA indoor national championships and eighth in the 2012 outdoor championships.
Gauger set a school record by clearing 16-2 ¾ at last year’s NCAA outdoor championships. He also holds the school record for indoor pole vault (16-5 ¼), and is the MASCAC record holder for the indoor (15-9) and outdoor pole vault (15-9 1/4).
Gauger was the Westfield State University Senior Male Athlete of the Year and the Owls’ most valuable field athlete in 2012 and 2013. He was a seven-time MASCAC champion and a 10-time All-New England performer.
The talented athlete achieved a rare feat during the 2013 conference championships when he placed first in both the pole vault and long jump. Additionally, he finished second in the long jump with a personal best of 22-9 ¾ at the 2013 New England Division III outdoor championships.
Academically, Gauger was a dean’s list student six times, a four-time member of a MASCAC All-Academic team and a College Sports Information Directors of America Capital One Academic All-District nominee in 2012 and 2013.
Gauger was a two-year member of the Westfield State Student-Athlete Advisory Board and served as treasurer his senior year. He performed community service hours with the Red Cross, Special Olympics and Westfield Boys & Girls Club.
