Zabetakis and Ritter Win 2021 GSC Commissioner's Trophies
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Gulf South Conference is pleased to announce that West Georgia's
Michael Zabetakis and Lee’s
Celine Ritter have been named the 2020-21 Commissioner’s Trophy winners.
Zabetakis is West Georgia's fourth male winner and sixth winner overall. West Georgia swept the Commissioner's Trophies back in 2018-19 with Cade Marlowe (baseball) and Franziska Bremm (golf).
Zabetakis is the second straight men's basketball player to win this award (Valdosta State's Clay Guillozet) and the fifth men's basketball player overall. Of the five men's basketball winners, three have been from West Georgia, with Zabetakis joining Lance Reinhardt (1992-93) and Lonnie Edwards (1997-98) as UWG honorees.
Ritter is Lee's second female winner and second winner overall. Soccer standout Summer Lanter claimed the league's top award for the Lady Flames in 2017-18.
Ritter also makes history as the first women's cross country and women's track and field student-athlete to win this award.
The Commissioner’s Trophy is the highest honor bestowed by the Conference and one of the most prestigious individual honors in Division II. The league initiated the men’s award in 1974-75 and added the women’s honor in 1982-83.