FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Suncoast Credit Union FGCU Athletics Scholar-Athletes of the Month for December have been announced, with men's soccer senior midfielder Markus Maurer (Friedrichshafen, Germany/Max Planck Gymnasium/Monroe College) and women's basketball fifth-year guard Sha Carter (Southfield, Mich./Wylie E. Groves HS/Walsh) earning the honor.

One male and female Eagle are chosen each month as the FGCU Athletics scholar-athlete throughout the academic year. Factors in the selection for the honor include a combination of significant athletic and overall academic success. Both Maurer and Carter are first-time recipients of the honor. Hailey Jerew (Miami, Fla. Cutler Bay Senior High) from swimming and diving and Caleb Catto (Cape Coral, Fla. Southwest Florida Christian Academy) from men's basketball earned November's distinction.

"Sha is an excellent student and a tremendous basketball player," said FGCU women's basketball coach Karl Smesko. "She has been a great addition to our program this year."

Carter is third on the squad in total points scored this season with 227, averaging 11.4 points per game, and is currently second in rebounds with 4.6 per contest. She is one of only three Eagles to eclipse more than 200 points thus far through 20 games. 

The fifth-year guard has played a key role in FGCU's 18-2 start. She has started in all 20 games this season for the Green & Blue, accumulating 426 minutes.

Carter was the leading scorer Thursday against Queens (N.C.), as part of a season-best 95-point performance. She cashed in for 22 points and notched her first double-double of the season, adding 11 rebounds.  

Thursday's performance marked the fourth instance Carter has led the Eagles, as she delivered 18 points against Duke on Dec. 11, 16 at Kentucky on Dec. 18 and 17 against ASUN foe Liberty on Jan. 2. It was also Carter's second time this season eclipsing the 20-point mark.  

Carter won ASUN Newcomer of the Week on Dec. 19 after leading FGCU to a 69-63 road win at Kentucky. In the classroom, Carter made the President's list with a perfect 4.0 this past fall semester studying criminal justice.

 Maurer ended his senior season on Pickering Field at the FGCU Soccer Complex with two goals, a pair of assists and six points to help men's soccer seal an 8-5-4 season. 

"Markus takes a lot of pride in everything he does," said FGCU men's soccer head coach Jesse Cormier. "From his training habits to the quality of his academic work, he is detail-oriented and highly disciplined. His work ethic and character is exemplary and deserves the recognition he has earned, and we're proud to have him in our men's soccer program and brotherhood."

Maurer produced his best game of the season against Stetson on Nov. 1, where he earned his first goal of the year off a cross and also delivered an assist. A few days later on Nov. 5, Maurer would score the opening goal in the Eagles 4-0 victory over North Florida to advance to the ASUN semifinals. 

He also registered an assist against Queens (N.C.) in a 3-0 victory. In total, Maurer competed in 16 games with 10 starts and logged a total 856 minutes toward the Eagles' cause. Maurer was tied for third on the squad with six points and in shots on goal with eight.

Maurer has a cumulative 3.54 GPA in integrated studies, and earned a 3.8 GPA during the fall to help the program post its highest cumulative and term GPA (3.47) in school history.

E.A.G.L.E. CAMPAIGN
IT TAKES A TEAM to achieve our newest goal - a $10 million campaign to address student-athlete needs in continued academic success, life skills, mental health, nutrition, and strength and conditioning as well as departmental needs in facility expansion and improvement as well as mentoring and leadership training for coaches and staff. The name embodies our mission and the purpose of the E.A.G.L.E. Campaign - Eagle Athletics Generating Lifetime Excellence. Join Our Team and pledge your gift today to help the Eagles of tomorrow!  
 
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (https://www.fgcu.edu/adminservices/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit https://www.fgcu.edu/adminservices/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.  
 
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 94 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 15-plus seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just 11-plus seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 47 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. In 2022, the men's golf team became the first program to earn an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. Eight FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including women's basketball (No. 20, 2021-22 and No. 25 in 2022-23) beach volleyball (No. 20, 2022) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as four of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green & 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 3.66 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2022 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 27 consecutive semesters. The past seven semesters (Fall 2019 – Fall 2022) saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher cumulative team GPA. 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.
 
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