Karly Rees and Connor Thompson are the 18th and 19th recipients of the John S. Egli Scholar-Athlete Award from Brandywine
MEDIA, Pa. — Penn State Brandywine senior baseball student-athlete Connor Thompson and junior softball student-athlete Karly Rees were selected as the John S. Egli Award winners as the top male and female scholar-athletes in the Penn State University Athletic Conference on April 23.
Rees and Thompson are the 18th and 19th winners of the conference’s most prestigious academic award to hail from Brandywine, the most of any campus. Brandywine claimed a pair of award winners for the second time in the last five years.
The award, named in honor of John S. Egli, a former Penn State student-athlete, professor and coach responsible for bringing varsity athletic programs to the commonwealth campuses, has annually been bestowed upon the top male and female student-athletes in the PSUAC since 1982. To be considered for the award, a student-athlete must have had a distinguished athletic career, own a minimum grade point average of 3.0, be active in additional campus activities and exemplify high morals, leadership and outstanding character.
Karly Rees
The softball team’s starting catcher for three seasons, Rees currently owns the highest GPA among Brandywine’s 180 student-athletes at 3.99. She has earned a 4.0 GPA in four-of-five semesters and is a five-time Dean’s List honoree as a business major (focus in accounting).
Last spring, Rees was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Softball Team. Rees has twice earned the Scholar Student-Athlete Award from the National Fast-Pitch Coaches Association and has claimed two PSUAC All-Academic Team honors. She will earn her second USCAA National Academic Team award this spring.
Rees is one of Brandywine’s most involved students on campus and in the local community. On campus, Rees serves as a peer mentor and a tutor. She is also a member of the Lion Guidez (tour guides) and has volunteered in the campus garden. In fall 2023, Rees completed her second semester as a teaching assistant for a first-year seminar class.
Rees has also volunteered at Brandywine’s first-year orientation and with the campus’ Capital Day program, aiding in the push for more funding to Penn State from the state.
In addition, Rees is the president of Brandywine’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Through SAAC, Karly has helped to organize and coordinate Brandywine’s last two Threes for THON Nights, during which Brandywine raised nearly $2,000 for THON, and the campus’ first-ever Hits for THON. Rees also worked to organize a campus food drive and collect non-perishable donations for the Media Food Bank through her involvement with SAAC.
During the fall of 2022, Rees worked closely with the Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County. She orchestrated a fundraiser at a Brandywine volleyball match, raising funds and awareness in the fight against domestic abuse.
On the softball diamond, Rees is a three-year starter for Brandywine, who has appeared in 111 games. A two-time all-PSUAC performer, Karly was a major cog for Brandywine’s PSUAC championship teams in 2022 and 2023 and its first-ever national title in 2023.
She is a career .418 hitter and has recorded 135 career hits, along with 82 RBI and 96 runs scored. This spring, Rees has totaled 46 hits, including 19 for extra bases, 31 RBI and 30 runs scored.
Connor Thompson
Thompson is in his fourth year as a member of the Penn State Brandywine baseball team. He began his final semester at Brandywine holding a 3.53 GPA as a multidisciplinary engineering major and will be graduating in May.
During his time at Brandywine, Thompson has earned Dean’s List award four times, while also claiming three PSUAC All-Academic Team honors. He will receive his third USCAA National Academic Team award in May.
Thompson has worked as a volunteer with Drexel Hill Little League’s challenger baseball team. He worked with kids facing mental or physical disabilities to learn baseball skills and concepts. On campus, Thompson has also volunteered at the athletics Hall of Fame ceremony and in the residence hall during student move-in day. Thompson also holds three part-time jobs on campus as a gameday student worker, fitness center attendant and cashier in the Blue Apple Café.
A two-year team captain and member of the team’s leadership council, Thompson earned USCAA All-American in 2023 when he earned five wins and tossed five complete games, while pitching to a 2.84 ERA. Thompson is also a two-time all-PSUAC starting pitcher, earning first team accolades as a junior.
The ace of Brandywine’s pitching staff for the last three years, Thompson owns 20 victories and 13 complete games during his career. In 42 appearances totaling 209.2 innings on the mound, Connor has recorded a 3.34 ERA and 145 strikeouts. Earlier this spring, he became just the second Brandywine pitcher in the team’s 41-year history to throw more than 200 innings in a career.
Rees and Thompson will be honored for their awards during the athletic department’s annual all-sports banquet on May 22.
