The Sun Conference announced on Monday six of its award winners for the 2020-2021 academic year. Those awards include the Dr. LeRoy Walker Student-Athlete of Character Award, the A. O. Duer Scholarship Award (male and female student-athlete), the Emil S. Liston Award (female student-athlete), the Coach of Character Award, and the Charles Morris Administrator of the Year Award.  
 
Four student-athletes, one head coach and one administrator (along with previously announced SUN Athletic Director of the Year, SUN Sports Information Director of the Year, and SUN Athletic Trainer of the Year), have been put forward by the league for consideration for the respective NAIA National Awards that will be announced in mid-September.

Michela Tjan of the women's golf team was nominated for the A.O. Duer Scholarship, which recognizes academic and athletic excellence by a junior student-athlete.
 
Tjan, a 2020-21 Sun Conference All-Academic honoree and NAIA Scholar-Athlete, carries a 4.0 GPA in interdisciplinary studies. This year's Sun Conference Player of the Year and NAIA National Player of the Year, Tjan is a two-time all-conference and NAIA All-America selection. Tjan secured a top-10 finish in 10 of the team's 11 tournaments played this season.
 
Head Coach Brandon Miller said, "I have coached many exceptional student-athletes during my time as a golf coach. Michela is without question the best student-athlete I have ever coached. She is extremely responsible in terms of balancing her golf responsibilities, academics, and community engagement activities. This is shown by her exceptional 4.0 cumulative GPA and the plethora of National Academic Awards that she has received while excelling to the highest possible level as an athlete."

Brandon Miller, head men's and women's golf coach has been selected as the league's Coach of Character nominee given to a head coach of an NAIA institution who has been outstanding in embracing the five core values of the NAIA Champions of Character initiative by deliberately teaching character to his/her student-athletes through sport.
 
Miller, a three-time NAIA Coach of the Year, wrapped up his 11th season with the Seahawks guiding the women's side to this year's National Championship title while garnering a third-place finish for the men in the national tournament. Miller coached the medalist in both the men's and women's Sun Conference Championship. The Seahawks produced both the NAIA National Player of the Year (women's - Michela Tjan) and the NAIA Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman of the Year (men's - Javier Neira Garcia).
 
Director of Athletics, Kris Swogger said, "Coach Miller's teams excel in the classroom, in the community, and on the course, because he sets a standard for them to follow. Our department believes that teaching students to be successful in life is our true mission, and the habits that they learn along the way will lead to winning. Coach Miller embodies this belief and our student-athletes would attest to his dedication, support, and focus on character development."