It was formally announced at the University of Redlands Honors Convocation during Commencement Weekend that sprinter Andrea Lyon (Danville, CA) and distance runner Tucker Cargile (Denver, CO) were named the 2022 Frank Serrao Senior Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
Named in honor of longtime football coach and educator Frank Serrao, this award acknowledges the top male and female senior student-athletes who best exemplify academic achievement, athletic success, and community involvement. The head coaches and various directors within Bulldog Athletics nominate and vote upon this prestigious accolade.
ANDREA LYON
Lyon completed her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies in 2021 and began pursuing her Master of Business Administration while taking advantage of the extra season of eligibility due to the pandemic. She also worked full-time this year as a business analyst for True Elements, a water sustainability company.
"Returning to the University of Redlands to pursue an MBA in Location Analytics has been the best and most rewarding decision of my adult life. The University has challenged me to be a stronger student, a better teammate, a more effective employee, and a more well-rounded individual," Lyon stated.
On the track, Lyon currently holds school records in the 200 Meters (24.28), 100 Meters (12.05), and the Indoor 400 Meters (56.53). Her outdoor times improved upon the previous Redlands standards that had stood since the early1980s.
"Andrea is the most dominant sprinter in program history. But it wasn't always that way, as she has come a long way since her first year in the track program. I will forever hold her up as an example of what can be accomplished through hard work, patience, and dedication," Head Coach Mike Schmidt commented.
As the 2022 Indoor West Region Track Athlete of the Year, she also ranks among the top eight in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's (SCIAC) all-time history in four events, with her Indoor 400 time establishing a new conference record. Lyon is undefeated in SCIAC competition in 2021 and 2022 so far. Last season, she won conference championships in the 400 Meters, 4x100 Relay, and 4x400 Relay, with the final meet still to come.
In addition, she sits among the top seven in all of Division III in three races, as highlighted by being a member of the fastest 4x100 Relay in the country. She has qualified for nationals on two occasions and anticipates another opportunity later this spring.
"Throughout my undergraduate and MBA programs, track has been a consistent motivator for me, providing me space to grow and pushing me to overcome challenges on both a personal and athletic level. My coaches and teammates have been a second family to me over these past five years, and I wouldn't be the athlete or the person I am today without their encouragement and support," she added.
Outside of school, work, and athletics, Lyon found time to volunteer with the Rochford Foundation at the Burrage Mansion in Redlands. She assisted the Foundation with its non-profit financial relationships, project organization, community outreach, and collaboration with the University of Redlands. She carried out the Foundation's mission to provide disadvantaged children with a safe haven of play and enrichment, while also advancing their personal skills and ability through a variety of workshops and classes.
"I am honored and grateful to follow in the footsteps of other talented Bulldogs in receiving this award, and I will work diligently to make U of R proud in the final remaining months of my last season," Lyon said.
TUCKER CARGILE
Cargile finished up his Psychology degree in 2021 and remained at Redlands to take advantage of the extra season of eligibility while pursuing a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership through the School of Business. Furthermore, he took on full-time employment at Claremont-McKenna College as a member of the development team.
"I am honored to be awarded the Frank Serrao Award and bring recognition to the Bulldog Track & Field/Cross Country teams. Shoutout to my teammates and coaches for the unwavering support over the years, I could not have done it without this amazing squad," Cargile shared.
A decorated student-athlete in cross country and track & field, Cargile has the most national appearances in Redlands' history with eight and will most likely finish his career with nine. A three-time West Region Athlete of the Year, he also earned four All-America nods, including the inaugural one among all Bulldog cross-country competitors. He owns school records in the Mile, 800 Meters, 6K, and 8K. Cargile also has five conference championships to his name thus far, with the 2022 SCIAC Championship meet taking place April 30-May 1.
"While I am glad to own school records and have All-American accolades, I am more grateful for the friendships that I have made along the way," Cargile added. "Younger athletes, remember to enjoy the process, embrace challenges, and never lose sight of why you are part of the Redlands family."
This season, Cargile reset the school record in the Mile that had stood since 1973 by uncorking a time of 4:04.47. He ran the fastest indoor mile in SCIAC history, which also placed him 11th all-time in Division III. His second-place showing at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships would have won the Division I and Division II mile races this year.
"Tucker will go down as the most dominant distance runner in program history. No one in the country has as much range in the distance events as Tucker. Nationally competitive in every distance from the 800 to the 8,000, he has left his mark in Division III track and cross country," Schmidt stated.
Cargile's Bulldog career began by winning the SCIAC Newcomer of the Year for track & field in 2018. Since then, he gained multiple All-Conference and All-Region awards throughout his stellar career.
Outside of competition, Cargile represented the University in various service-oriented and leadership capacities, including as a Maroon and Grey Student Ambassador. He also contributed to the Alpha Phi Omega community service fraternity and worked with the University of Redlands Development Team.
"Lastly, in an individual sport, both are consummate team players. I have never seen athletes who care as much about their team and teammates as both of them do. Tucker and Andrea are both Bulldogs for life," Schmidt added.
Lyon and Cargile now join a remarkable list of Bulldog student-athletes, including last year's honorees Calhoun Helmberger and Brenna Dolen, as recipients of the prestigious Frank Serrao award.