FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU Department of Athletics has announced its fourth pair of 2019-20 monthly academic honorees. Volleyball junior Cortney VanLiew and men's soccer senior TC Anderson were named Scholar-Athletes of the Month for November.

A female and male Eagle are chosen as the FGCU Athletics Scholar-Athlete of the Month throughout the academic year. Factors in the selection for this honor include a combination of significant athletic and overall academic success.

VanLiew (Seymour, Ind./Columbus East HS) is an Accounting major while also pursuing a minor in Spanish. She holds a 3.88 GPA, is a two-time President's and Dean's List honoree, and has landed on the AD Honor Roll on four occasions.

The Indiana native became the first two-time ASUN player of the year in program history last month, including the ASUN's first outright back-to-back winner since 2009. She averaged 4.07 kills per set which ranks 43rd in the nation, recording at least 10 kills in 24 matches this season. VanLiew eclipsed 1,000 career kills this year and is one of just three players in program history with 1,000 kills and 500 digs (Amanda Carroll (2015-present) & Brooke Youngquist Sweat (2004-07)).

Overall, the volleyball program turned in a 27-5 record, going 14-2 in ASUN play as they reached the ASUN Championship final.

"Cortney continues to showcase her talents in the classroom and on the volleyball court, demonstrating what a well-rounded individual she is," said head coach Matt Botsford. "The month of November in particular is always tough to manage, as classes and the volleyball season are building toward their peak.  The way she balances those two areas of her life is remarkable and her ability to excel in each requires a tremendous amount of dedication from her end."

Anderson (Gainesville, Fla./F.W. Buchholz HS) is dual major in Finance and Accounting, boasting a 3.78 GPA. He's a three-time Dean's List member, two-time President's List honoree and has made the AD Honor Roll six times. On the field in 2019, Anderson appeared in 13 matches, recording six starts on the Eagles' back line as the squad reached the ASUN Championship final for the first time since 2016. FGCU produced a 9-8-2 overall record, going 4-1-1 in league action. 

"TC is a reflection of who we want in our men's soccer program here at FGCU," said head coach Jesse Cormier. "He's gotten better every day and each season. He's highly ambitious academically to achieve the highest level in the classroom. Also, he pursues every leadership opportunity to have a positive impact and influence on the team, the athletic department, and the university campus as a whole. To have him play his best game as an Eagle in the ASUN final in his senior season caps off his career here in the most profound way possible. It shows everyone faith in the process and the journey here to become the best version of yourself. I could not be more proud of him."


2019-20 Scholar-Athletes of the Month
August – Dana Axner (Volleyball) and Jahan Rajaee (Men's Soccer)
September – Evdokia Popadinova (Women's Soccer) and Marcelo Tebet (Men's Tennis)
October – Lindsey Patton (Women's Soccer) and Kareem Riley (Men's Soccer)
November – Cortney VanLiew (Volleyball) and TC Anderson (Men's Soccer)

ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 80 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 13 seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just nine seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 36 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as two of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2018 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for twenty consecutive semesters.  The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 – being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.