PAWSCARS celebrates 2019-20 year online

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The 2020 University of Memphis PAWSCARS was held Wednesday online, and the virtual ceremony – which can be seen on Tigers Athletics Instagram story area – celebrated the 2019-20 athletics year. The PAWSCARS wrapped up with the announcement of the athletics department's two highest student-athlete honors: the Elma Roane and Zach Curlin Awards.

Senior Stasia Mallin, a defender on the women's soccer squad, received the Elma Roane Award, and senior Patrick Taylor Jr., a running back on the football team, was honored with the Zach Curlin Award. Mallin and Taylor were recognized for their accomplishments in Wednesday's online celebration.

Both awards are presented annually to student-athletes that have competed at the highest level athletically, while exhibiting leadership characteristics and demonstrating the high ideals of sportsmanship and athleticism held by the University. Each recipient must excel in the classroom, give of his/her time and efforts for the betterment of his/her team, the University and community.

Other honors presented Wednesday were the All-Around Tiger Awards to Charles Nichols from men's track and field and Harley Southmayd from Memphis pom. The Tigers that earned grade-point averages (GPA) of 4.0 and 3.7 and above also received recognition.

Created in 1978, the Elma Roane Award was named after the former women's athletics director at the University of Memphis. Roane was affiliated with the University as a student-athlete, coach and professor for 45 years. During her career, Roane shaped generations of young women's lives and countless young leaders were influenced by her depth of character, determination against great odds and abiding belief in the power of education to change lives.

Mallin, a biomedical engineering major with minors in chemistry and French, carries a 3.99 GPA and has volunteered numerous times in the University and City of Memphis communities, in addition to her home state of Indiana and overseas.

A member of the UofM's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee all four years, Mallin was active in the Tigers' involvement in the city and surrounding communities. She volunteered at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital (FedExFamilyHouse) and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (Target House), assisting with crafts and activities – including a game show – and serving and delivering meals to families.

In her home state, the Carmel, Ind., native has spent the last year at Indianapolis' Community North Hospital, where she assists in the pre-/post-operation clinic and pediatric department. Two years ago, Mallin traveled to San Jose, Costa Rica, and volunteered her time in a nursing home and clinic. She also has had several shadow opportunities in the medical field, the most recent one with Campbell Clinic in Germantown.

A four-year letterwinner and three-year starter, Mallin had one of the most decorated careers in Memphis athletics history. Following a brilliant 2019 campaign, Mallin was named a semifinalist for the Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Hermann Trophy, an award given annually to the nation's top collegiate soccer player. She also earned United Soccer Coaches All-America and All-South Region first team honors, as well as All-American Athletic Conference first team and American Athletic Conference Championship All-Tournament Team recognition in 2019.

Mallin handed out 14 assists in 2019, including a single-game record four helpers in a Sept. 12 victory over Southeastern Louisiana. The 14 assists were the most by a senior in a campaign and the second-most in a season in program history. Mallin's 29 career assists rank third in school history. Her 29 career assists are an American Athletic Conference record, and her 14 helpers in 2019 are the second-most for a season in AAC history. Mallin was a member of the UofM defense that posted 25 shutouts the past two seasons (2018, 2019), and the squad's 13 shutouts in 2018 tied an American Athletic Conference record.

She was a member of four Tigers squads that combined for 59 wins from 2016-19. Mallin and her teammates posted double-figure victories and earned a spot in The American Championship postseason tournament each of the four seasons. Memphis won the 2018 conference tournament crown and followed with a 2019 league regular-season title (8-0-1 conference record). The Tigers played in three NCAA Tournaments (2016, 2018, 2019) in Mallin's career.

Mallin was just as impressive in the classroom at Memphis. She was a 2019 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America first team and All-District first team pick. The United Soccer Coaches named her a Scholar All-America and All-Region first team member. As a junior in 2018, Mallin was a CoSIDA Academic All-America second team selection. A Dean's List student at Memphis, she was a three-time American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team honoree (2017-19).

She is a member of Alpha Eta Mu Beta (National Biomedical Engineering Honors Society), Tau Beta Pi (Engineering Honors Society) and Alpha Epsilon Delta (Health Preprofessional Honors Society). Mallin served as secretary of the UofM's Alpha Eta Mu Beta chapter the last two years.

The Zach Curlin Award, created in 2011, is presented annually to the male student-athlete that possesses Curlin's drive, enthusiasm and determination to academics and athletics while maintaining a concern for others. Curlin joined the Memphis coaching staff in 1924 and, during his career, served in several capacities: football head coach, basketball head coach, baseball head coach, athletics director and head of the physical education and intramurals departments.

Taylor graduated with a bachelor's degree in business in December 2019 and posted a 3.27 GPA. He signed a free agent contract with the NFL's Green Bay Packers earlier this week.

During his four seasons, Taylor became one of the football program's primary faces in the Memphis community. He made numerous visits to Le Bonheur Children's Hospital (FedExFamilyHouse) and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (Target House), where he hosted a game show and Bingo Night for patients and helped stock the homes' food pantries. He also visited patients during the holiday seasons.

In addition, Taylor read to kindergarten classes and served as leader at For The Kingdom Retreat, where he led Bible studies and organized sports drills for the children. On the MLK Day 50^thanniversary in January 2019, he helped serve food to the homeless.

For his efforts, Taylor was a 2019 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team nominee.

On the field, the 6-foot-3, 227-pound running back had a tremendous four-year career. Taylor finished his career with 2,884 rushing yards on 536 carries and 36 touchdowns. He had 11 100-yard rushing performances and nine multi-touchdown games (rush TD only). Taylor's name appears on the UofM's career charts for rushing yards (3^rd; 2,884), rushing touchdowns (T-2^nd; 36), 100-yard rushing games (T-4^th; 11), all-purpose yards (5^th; 3,322) and most overall touchdowns scored (4^th; 39).

Taylor had a major role in the program's success the past four years. The Tigers won 38 games, earned three American Athletic Conference West Division titles, made three AAC Championship Game appearances and received four bowl invitations. The pinnacle of Taylor's career came in 2019 when Memphis won the AAC overall crown – the program's first since 1971 – and earned the program's first New Year's Six Bowl bid to the 84^thGoodyear Cotton Bowl. The 2019 Tigers won a school-record 12 games (12-2 record).

The Humble, Texas, native was a three-time American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team honoree (2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19) and a four-time Tiger 3.0 Club member.

University of Memphis Athletics

Related News

Players Mentioned

Stasia Mallin

Patrick Taylor Jr.

Related Videos