HAYS, Kan. - Fort Hays State men's soccer student-athlete Alec Bevis has been named the recipient of this year's Torch Award, an honor given to the outstanding graduating senior from the class of 2022.
 
Bevis has been a part of the men's soccer program for the last four years, including two seasons as team captain. The Wichita, Kan. native was named to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America team as a senior, an honor given to just 15 players across the country. Additionally, Bevis was a first team selection on the CoSIDA Academic All-America team.
 
On the field Bevis helped Fort Hays State make its ninth-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2021, the nation's longest active streak of consecutive national tournament appearances. Along with his All-America honors this year, Bevis is a three-time all-conference selection, and a two-time all-region selection.
 
He started all 51 games over the last three seasons at defender, totaling three goals and three assists while anchoring a back line that allowed just 1.09 goals against average across three seasons. Bevis was a part of three conference championship teams and one regional championship squad. The Tigers pitched eight shutouts in Bevis' senior season of 2021 and allowed no more than one goal in 18 of 23 matches that year.
 
Off the pitch Bevis majored in chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry while being an active member in the FHSU Honors College and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. One of Bevis' nominations said that "the Torch Award defines who Alec is. He possesses the qualities that make a student successful in scholarly activities, and he exhibits those same qualities FHSU seeks to develop in students inside and outside of the classroom."
 
Bevis is the third student-athlete to receive the Torch Award over the last six years, joining long jumper Keshawn Sewell (2018) and pitcher Giles Fox (2017).
 
The Torch Award was created in 1974 as one of three annual commencement awards given by the FHSU Alumni Association. Candidates are nominated by members of the faculty and staff on the basis of classroom excellence; leadership; participation in campus, community, or national organizations; and involvement in student, civic, or research activities. Nominees are graduating seniors or students who graduated in December of the previous semester.
 
Additionally, winners of the other two commencement awards also have ties to the athletic department at Fort Hays State. This year's Pilot Award winner is Ken Windholz, instructor of psychology and long-time public address announcer at football and basketball games. Alison Helget was a co-winner of the Lighthouse Award, a similar honor to the Torch Award that instead recognizes outstanding graduate students. She served as a gameday worker in the sports information office for the majority of her time at FHSU.
 
More information can be found in the press release from the office of University Relations and Marketing here.