BIDDEFORD, Maine – Matyas Csiki-Fejer of the Suffolk men's cross country and indoor track & field teams was announced as the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) nominee for the inaugural Division III Commissioners' Association (DIIICA) Student-Athlete of the Year on Thursday morning.
As the conference nominee, Csiki-Fejer advances to the next round of award process during which a regional selection committee led by designated DIIICA Awards Committee representatives – commissioner and assistant/associate commissioner – will select a regional finalist from each of 10 designated regions. The top male and female honoree in each of the 10 regions will be finalists for the Awards Committee to select the DIIICA Student-Athlete of the Year awards, which will be announced in August.
A native of Manchester, Missouri, Csiki-Fejer was a paragon of a student-athlete, excelling not only in competition, but in the classroom as well. His academic prowess was demonstrated by his completion of a dual bachelors of arts degrees in political science and legal studies with a perfect 4.0 GPA during his undergraduate career. His accomplishments earned him a plethora of academic honors, including becoming the first Suffolk student-athlete named a CoSIDA Academic All-American three times (2019-20, 20-21, 21-22). In addition to his CoSIDA honors, he was also recognized as a USTFCCCA All-Academic Team selection four times and a member of the CCC and Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Academic All-Conference teams three times each. The eight-time Suffolk AD Honor Roll selection also won the CCC's top academic prize in both cross country and outdoor track and field as he was voted the CCC Scholar-Athlete in both sports during his senior seasons.
The Rams senior was also one of the top runners in Division III, both on the cross country course and the track. He earned USTFCCCA All-America status in cross country and outdoor track and field (5K) during his senior year, wrapping up an impressive collegiate career as the first Ram to receive All-America honors in those two sports. Throughout his three years of cross country competition (2020 canceled due to COVID-19), he earned All-Conference honors each season, was the GNAC Rookie of the Year in 2018, the GNAC Runner of the Year in 2019, and the CCC Runner of the Year in 2021. He also earned USTFCCCA All-Region honors in all three seasons.
Indoors, Csiki-Fejer started off his career in 2018-19 by becoming the first Suffolk male student-athlete to run at the NCAA DIII New England Regionals. He returned to the Regionals in 2019-20, qualifying in the 1K and 3K events. At the conference-level, he earned GNAC Track Athlete of the Year honors after winning the mile and 3K as well as being part of the winning distance medley relay team. During his senior season in 2021-22, he qualified for the Division III Championship in the 3K and became the first male student-athlete to qualify and compete in the Indoor NCAA Championships. He was once again named GNAC Track Athlete of the Year, winning the same three events at the conference championship, and also earned USTFCCCA All-East Region honors.
During the spring outdoor season, Csiki-Fejer continued his championship ways, becoming the 2019 GNAC Rookie of the Year after winning the GNAC Championship in the 800m and 1500m races. In 2021, following a canceled 2020 season, he earned USTFCCCA All-New England honors competing in the 5K and 10K. He wrapped out his outdoor career with a CCC Track Athlete of the Year worthy season in 2022. He won three conference championships (800m, 1500m, 5K) and became the first CCC male student-athlete to compete at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, earning All-America status in the 5K.
The Suffolk senior was also named the 2020-21 Suffolk University Charles Law Student-Athlete, an award that honors the late Charles Law, whose work ethic and due diligence embodied what it means to be a student-athlete; excel both academically and athletically. He was the second-ever runner given Suffolk Athletics' most prestigious honor and just the second junior to receive the award in its 76-year history.
Adding to Csiki-Fejer's already impressive resume was his extensive leadership and community service work. On-campus, he was the commencement speaker for the College of Arts and Sciences and served as a symposium presenter and a political science student research conference panelist. He also worked at a resident assistant. Csiki-Fejer also participated in the 2022 Fall Moto Court and was an executive board member of the Suffolk Mock Trial team. He held membership in Lambda Epsilon Chi (Law Honors Society), Pi Sigma Alpha (Political Science Honors Society), and the Suffolk Environmental Club. Off campus he volunteered at Prince William Forest Park, helped organize local Black Lives Matter gatherings and protests in Ballwin, Missouri, worked at Victory Programs, Inc. and interned in the Office of Massachusetts State Senator Jo Comerford.