Aurora University Athletics

Aurora University and the athletic department announced the 2019-2020 recipient of the Spartan Man of the Year Award. The honor has been bestowed upon recent AU graduate JT Hudson.

The Spartan Man of the Year award honors a graduating male student-athlete athletes who has exhausted his eligibility and distinguished himself throughout their collegiate careers in academics, athletics, service and leadership.

Hudson captured the top Spartan athletics honor following a tremendous collegiate career for the men's golf program. During his senior season, Hudson added the distinction on his resume of earning Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference All-Conference selection for a fourth consecutive season. His senior campaign saw him finish with a 75 average over 11 rounds and finishing fourth in the NACC Championship. As a junior he was the NACC Player of the Year while leading the Spartans to their second of three straight NACC titles.

"Few student-athletes are able to leave such a transformative legacy on a program as JT. In the past few years, the men's golf program has ascended to a nationally ranked team and much of that is attributable to JT's excellence on the course and his leadership off," said AU Associate Director of Athletics for Student-Athlete Wellbeing / Senior Woman Administrator Nicki Pieart. "We are proud of JT and wish him the best as he transitions to his professional career." 

Excellence in the classroom was a constant strength of Hudson's as a Spartan as he completed his academic career with a 3.52 gpa. He graduated with numerous honors including being a multi-year member of the AU Dean's List, a four-time Spartan and Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Scholar-Athlete and the 2019-2020 AU Richard Rickey recipient.

In the community, Hudson participated in numerous giving opportunities including Aurora Food Pantry, Hesed House, Triple Threat Mentoring, Project Linus along with the Kids Golf Foundation, Chad Johansen Golf Academy and served as a youth basketball coach.

"J.T. Hudson was a coaches dream student-athlete. From the day he stepped onto the AU campus he's held himself accountable on the golf course, in the classroom and within the community," said AU men's and women's golf coach Justin Wyeth. "J.T's resume speaks for itself, AU as a campus and as a golf program will greatly miss his leadership."

Additionally, Hudson received the Richard Rickey Award. The Richard Rickey Award is given to a senior male student-athlete who exemplifies the characteristics of dedication, determination, sportsmanship and faith throughout the academic year.