Chaloupka, Rees, Thompson Named Top PSUAC Student-Athletes

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State University Athletic Conference annually awards the John S. Egli Outstanding Student-Athlete award to its top male and female student-athlete. In 2024, three such student-athletes have earned the honor as Penn State New Kensington's Michael Chaloupka and Penn State Brandywine's Karly Rees and Connor Thompson were recognized as the PSUAC announced the award on Tuesday. 

The Egli award recognizes top student-athletes who have showcased great athletic prowess, maintained high academic standards, and been active members of their campus and local communities. The award was named in honor of John Egli, the first ever director of Commonwealth Campus athletics, and is the highest honor awarded by the PSUAC.

In 2024, two male student-athletes were selected for the award, showcasing the depth of the nominees across the conference. Michael "Mac" Chaloupka has been a two-time PSUAC All-Conference selection in men's soccer, as well as a USCAA All-American. He finished in the top-15 of the PSUAC in goals, assists and points in 2023, and was a key component on New Kensington's run to the PSUAC Championship game for the first time in more than 20 years. 

Chaloupka, a native of Texas, will finish his academic career at University Park starting in the fall, but in just two years he made an impact on the New Kensington campus. A member of the campus Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), as well as the PSUAC's SAAC, Chaloupka led campus initiatives including 3's for THON and Volunteer Week. Chaloupka also holds multiple jobs in the community and on campus, and was named his team's John Fritz Sportsmanship Award recipient. In addition, Chaloupka served as a student ambassador during a spring break trip to England in 2024. An agricultural sciences major, Chaloupka carries a GPA above 3.9 and was named the 2023 USCAA Division II Men's Soccer Student-Athlete of the Year.

His co-winner is Connor Thompson, the ace of Brandywine's baseball pitching staff. Thompson, an engineering student expecting to graduate in May with a cumulative GPA above 3.5, has been a four-year starter for Brandywine, picking up both PSUAC All-Conference and USCAA All-American honors in the past. As of April 23rd, Thompson leads the PSUAC in ERA (2.39) and wins (7), and is just the second Brandywine pitcher to surpass 200 career innings in the program's 41-year history.

Thompson holds three jobs on campus, including working as a game-day student staff member, in the campus fitness center and at the campus Blue Apple Cafe. He has been involved in his team's efforts with the Drexel Hill Little League's Challenger baseball team. He's also a member of his campus' Engineering Club, and is a student volunteer during move-in day and at the Brandywine Athletics Hall of Fame dinner. 

Thompson is not alone at Brandywine this year, as softball player Karly Rees earns the top female award. Rees, a business major and catcher, recently surpassed the 100-hit plateau for her career and has been a member of multiple championship squads, including a 2023 USCAA Small College World Series national championship. Rees' career batting average is above .400 and her 3.99 cumulative GPA is the best among Brandywine's 180 student-athletes, and she has earned Dean's List honors in each of her five semesters to date. Her academic accolades include USCAA National All-Academic team honors, PSUAC All-Academic honors and two Scholar Student-Athlete Awards from the National Fast-Pitch Coaches Association.

Rees, a member of the Brandywine and PSUAC SAAC groups, successfully led Brandywine's 3's for THON initiative the past two years, including raising more than $1,600 this year. Rees is also a teaching assistant, tutor and student mentor at Brandywine. She also volunteers in the campus garden and is a Lion Guide for prospective student tours. Rees also organized a campus food drive for the Media Food Bank and orchestrated a fundraiser for the Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County. A true leader on her team and her campus, Rees has one more season of eligibility, but could graduate as early as December.

Each year, campuses nominate their top student-athletes for the Egli award and the PSUAC's Tournament & Awards Committee selects from the nominees. Follow along in the coming weeks as the PSUAC recognizes these student-athletes on its various social media platforms with interviews, acceptance speeches and in-person presentations.