Wingate University All-American offensive lineman Andrew Strickland has added another huge honor to his impressive list of accolades. The Academic All-America honoree has been named the 2020 South Atlantic Conference Man of the Year.

“We as a program are extremely excited and proud for Andrew,” head coach Joe Reich says. “He is very deserving of this award. To see his commitment and dedication pay off in this way is gratifying.”

Strickland’s impressive 2019 season saw him earn first-team All-SAC and All-Region honors for the Bulldogs, helping Wingate win 10 games for the first time in program history. The Bulldogs earned a bid to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the third straight year and fourth time in program history.

Strickland was named an AFCA second-team All-American, while also earning second-team Academic All-America accolades. Strickland was one of just three players in the country to earn AFCA All-American honors and Academic All-America accolades in 2019. He also earned the SAC BMI postgraduate scholarship in May, going to SAC student-athletes who excel academically and athletically.

Strickland helped anchor a Wingate offensive line that paved the way for a pair of first-team All-SAC running backs, along with an all-conference quarterback. His versatility helped the Bulldogs rank second in the SAC in passing yards per game and third in the league in rushing yards per game. Wingate’s two running backs ranked third and fourth in the SAC in rushing yards per game, while scoring 10 touchdowns each to rank third in the conference.

Strickland graduated in May with a 3.795 GPA, majoring in accounting. He is now in the Master of Accounting program at Wingate and hopes to use his final season of eligibility this spring when the Bulldogs are slated to play an abbreviated schedule. Strickland has served as a member of the Wingate FCA and has been involved with the Special Olympics Field Day every year as a Bulldog. He also served as a mentor for the Boys and Girls Club of Union County.