SUWANEE, Ga. – Matyas Csiki-Fejer of the Suffolk men's cross country and indoor and outdoor track & field team was recognized as an inaugural Division III Commissioner's Association (DIIICA) Region II Student-Athlete of the Year Thursday afternoon.
The standout Ram was a part of an announcement that featured 10 student-athletes honored as regional winners for the inaugural recognition. Voting was conducted by the commissioners within each of the ten regions.
Each of the winners will advance to the national ballot for consideration for the 2021-22 D3CA Men's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year, which will be announced in August. Csiki-Fejer was selected for regional consideration as the first-ever Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) nominee.
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.
Academically, his prowess stood out as he completed dual bachelors of arts degrees in political science and legal studies with a perfect 4.0 GPA during his undergraduate career. His work inside the classroom earned him numerous academic accolades including become the first Suffolk student-athlete to take home CoSIDA Academic All-American distinction three times, earning the feat every year he was eligible (2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22). On top of his CoSIDA honors, he was recognized as a U.S. Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-American Scholar four times and was a member of the CCC and Great Northeast Athletic conference (GNAC) Academic All-Conference teams on three occasions. 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.
Athletically, he proved to be one of the top long-distance runners in Division III, both on the cross country course and the track. As a senior he put a bow on his Rams career when he made Suffolk history when he earned USTFCCCA All-America status in cross country and outdoor track and field (5k), the first student-athlete in the University's history to receive All-America honors in those sports. He is the second-ever Ram to pick up a pair of All-America distinctions in the University's annals, first since Jess Ferreira was honored for her excellence on the softball diamond by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) in 2006 and 2009, respectively.
Over three years on the cross country course, with the 2020 campaign canceled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, he earned all-league 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. The trio of top conference honors all were first for a Suffolk male student-athlete in the history of the sport. On top of the conference awards, he earned USTFCCCA All-Region honors in all three seasons as well.
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 twice and anchored Suffolk to back-to-back GNAC team titles. In 2021-22, he qualified for the NCAA DIII Championship in the 3k and became the first male student-athlete to punch his ticket to NCAAs. Additionally, he warned USTFCCCA All-East honors.
Outdoors, Csiki-Fejer continued his championship ways, becoming the 2019 GNAC Rookie of the Year after winning the 800 and 1500 races at the GNAC Championships. In 2021, following a canceled 2020 season, he earned USTFCCCA All-New England honors competing in the 5K and 10K. He wrapped up his outdoor career with a CCC Track Athlete of the Year worthy season in 2022. He won three conference championships (800, 1500, 5k) and became the first CCC male student-athlete to compete at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, earning All-America status in the 5K.
At Suffolk, Csiki-Fejer was repeated as the Charles Law Student-Athlete recipient, 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, the second junior to receive the award in 2020-21, and second-ever to take home the honor twice.
Adding to Csiki-Fejer's already impressive resume was his extensive leadership and community service. 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 as 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.