Findlay, Ohio - The University of Findlay athletics department announced the winners of the 2024 Mancuso Awards, given annually during the University of Findlay Symposium for Scholarship and Creativity. The two winners of the Mancuso Award are women's track & field athlete Paige Emnett and men's swimmer Tim Stollings.
The Mancuso Award is named after, and sponsored by, Iggy Mancuso, a 1945 graduate and highly successful wrestling coach from 1948 to 1958. The award is intended to bring distinction and honor to the top female and male athlete each year while encompassing factors such as academic achievement, contribution to the university and community, sportsmanship, integrity and humility, and athletic ability.
Director of Athletics Jim Givens said, "Every year I am blown away by the things that our student-athletes accomplish, and that is no different this year. Tim and Paige have picked up countless awards in their sports and have been fixtures atop podiums across the country. But what I'm most impressed with is their dedication to their academics and their daily expressions of humility, service, and leadership. You will not find two more quality individuals and I am beyond proud to have them as our 2024 Mancuso Award recipients."
Graduate student Paige Emnett came to the University of Findlay from Wheelersburg, Ohio and has been a leader on the Oilers' track & field team since 2020. She holds a perfect 4.0 career GPA, having earned an undergraduate degree in education, specializing as an Intervention Specialist for children with disabilities. She is now pursuing her master's degree in education and will complete that program upon graduation this spring. Last year, Paige was named the G-MAC Elite 26 Award recipient which is given to the athlete with the highest GPA in the conference in their respective sport. Paige then went on to become Findlay's first ever recipient of the NCAA DII Elite 90 Award, given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA that also has earned the right to compete at the national championship. She has also given of her time over the board, serving as a humanitarian on multiple mission trips to Nicaragua in Central America.
Success in the classroom and generosity of her time are not her only strengths, as Paige has garnered lots of hardware in competition, as well. She has been named all-conference seven times and is a five-time event conference champion, as well, including garnering praise as the 2021 G-MAC Freshman of the Year and Athlete of the Meet during the outdoor season. Paige is also a five-time all-American, a number that can grow later the spring at the outdoor national championship.
Tim Stollings came to the University of Findlay from Prichard, West Virginia and has been a standout on the Oilers swimming and diving team for five years. In the classroom, Tim graduated with his degree in business, holding a 3.95 cumulative GPA and is currently in pursuit of his master's degree in business, boasting a perfect 4.0 GPA. For the past few years, Tim has managed the Oilers Swim School, teaching swim lessons to hundreds of local children.
In the pool, Tim's career has been extraordinary. In five years, Tim, who has been named UF's Athlete of the Year twice, has established himself as one of the best swimmers, not just in the conference, but in the country. He has collected 28 individual conference titles, is a four-time G-MAC Athlete of the Year, is an academic all-district and All-American recipient, was named the G-MAC Male Scholar Athlete of the Year 2022, and led the Oilers to five consecutive conference titles and four consecutive top-ten finishes at the NCAA DII national championship. At the national level, Tim has earned Findlay record 27 all-American awards, including 16 first-team trophies. Twice, Tim reached the pinnacle of his best event, winning the 100-yard butterfly national championship in 2021 and 2024.
