CLINTON, Miss. --- Mississippi College's Sofia Mendez has been named the 2026 Gulf South Conference Champion Scholar-Athlete for women's golf, the league office announced.
 
A sophomore from Bogotá, Colombia, Mendez earned the distinction after compiling a perfect 4.00 grade point average as a business administration major. She becomes the first Choctaw golfer - male or female - to receive the honor since the award's inception and is MC's first recipient during the 2025-26 academic year.
 
The Gulf South Conference Champion Scholar-Athlete Award, introduced in 2019-20, is presented at each GSC Championship site to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA among participating teams. Eligibility requires a minimum of 48 completed credit hours, and student-athletes may earn the award only once per academic year.
 
Mendez joins a distinguished group of Mississippi College honorees across multiple sports. Most recently, Emma Roberts (women's tennis) and Cole Benoit (men's outdoor track and field) were recognized in 2024-25, while Caroline Perry highlighted the 2023-24 academic year with three selections across cross country and track and field.
 
Mendez's achievement underscores Mississippi College's continued commitment to excellence in the classroom and in competition, adding another milestone to the Choctaws' growing list of academic accolades within the Gulf South Conference.

---

PREVIOUS CHOCTAW GSC CHAMPION SCHOLAR ATHLETE
2025-26: Sofia Mendez (Women's Golf)
2024-25: Emma Roberts (Women's Tennis), Cole Benoit (Men's Outdoor Track and Field)
2023-24: Caroline Perry (Women's Cross Country), Avery Hederman (Women's Soccer), Caroline Perry (Women's Indoor Track and Field), Emma Roberts (Women's Tennis), Caroline Perry (Women's Outdoor Track and Field)
2022-23: Erin Hederman (Women's Soccer), Ava Dickerson (Women's Indoor Track and Field), Will Grames (Men's Outdoor Track and Field)
2021-22: Marina Rizk (Women's Indoor Track and Field)
2020-21: Holly Pascoe (Women's Soccer), Brady McDaniel (Men's Tennis), Rachel Faulk (Women's Outdoor Track and Field)
2019-20: Lauren Kate Carter (Women's Soccer), Alexis Dunn (Women's Outdoor Track and Field)