CHARLOTTE, N.C. (ACC/SMU) – SMU Women's Golf's Mackenzie Lee and Men's Soccer's Enzo Panozzo were named to the 2026 Atlantic Coast Conference Excellence Award List as announced by the conference on Wednesday.
The ACC Excellence Award recognizes outstanding graduates from ACC member institutions. The goal of the award is to highlight the students embodying the student-athlete ideal. The brand of the ACC is our strong history of providing world-class education and competition. The awardees are exemplary students, athletes, and contributors to the community and society and serve as an example to their fellow students.
Lee is in her senior season on the Hilltop and has etched her name across the SMU record book in her three and a half years. Lee holds the SMU career scoring average record with a mark of 71.56, shattering the previous record, which stood at 73.55.
Lee also holds SMU records in career birdies, career rounds of par or better, low round and low tournament score. Lee and the Mustangs advanced to the NCAA Regional all three years, including two trips to the NCAA Championship, with a best finish of 11th in 2023.
With Lee setting the SMU single-season scoring mark, SMU won AAC titles in 2023 and 2024. In 2025, at the Augusta National Women's Amateur, she placed 11th against the best amateurs in the world. The 2026 ANWA is set for April 2026. The Lee-led Mustangs continue their spring campaign, including a home tournament, the Huntington Bank Collegiate, before heading into postseason play in April.
Pursuing her bachelor's degree in sport management, Lee maintains a 3.31 GPA. She was named to the 2025 All-ACC Academic Team last season.
Lee is a member of the SMU Asian Council and has recorded 21 hours of community service. She volunteered to feed the unhoused at StewPot, food pantries and food distribution centers. She also volunteered at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals animal shelter and participated in the Curing Kids Cancer Fire Truck Pull
Panozzo started every match for the SMU men's soccer team that won its first ACC Championship in the fall. He contributed to the Mustangs' seven shutouts in the 2025 season. On top of the ACC tournament championship last fall, with Panozzo on the team, the Mustangs won the American Athletic Conference regular season title in 2023.
As a standout defender, Panozzo has made 47 appearances, including 29 starts, scoring two goals and recording two assists over his three seasons at SMU. He is part of SMU's team that has made three consecutive NCAA appearances and was a core member in SMU's run to the NCAA Championship quarterfinals in 2024.
Panozzo maintains a 3.27 GPA while pursuing his bachelor's in economics with finance applications. The senior was named to the All-ACC Academic Team in 2024 and 2025; prior to that, he earned AAC All-Academic Team honors for the 2023-24 year.
As a member of the SAAC, Panozzo was nominated for the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Good Works Team and was named the National Strength and Conditioning Association Athlete of the Year. He recorded more than 40 hours of community service which includes participating in the Curing Kids Cancer Fire Truck Pull, serving meals at Mercy Street Dallas during Easter and volunteering at We Are All Homeless to provide food, clothing and support for those in need.
The Sarasota, Florida, native will return for his fourth year with the Mustangs in the 2026 season.
The ACC named a total of 33 accomplished student-athletes who plan to pursue professional careers in their respective sports or chosen fields of study to the 2026 ACC Excellence Award list.
2026 ACC Excellence Award List
Name, Sport, Institution
Luca Lombardo, Football, Boston College
Shea Baker, Women's Lacrosse, Boston College
Jasper Smith-Gordon, Women's Gymnastics, California
Torre Anderson, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, California
Aidan Knaak, Baseball, Clemson
Gabrielle Clark, Women's Gymnastics, Clemson
Aidan Maguire, Men's Lacrosse, Duke
Andie Smith, Women's Golf, Duke
Sophia Nguyen, Women's Soccer, Florida State
Anna Hadjiloizou, Women's Swimming & Diving, Georgia Tech
Drew Burress, Baseball, Georgia Tech
Isabella Bianco, Field Hockey, Louisville
Hannah Sherman, Volleyball, Louisville
Chiara Pellacani, Women's Swimming & Diving, Miami
Rueben Bain Jr., Football, Miami
Keaton Vo, Men's Golf, North Carolina
Reese Brantmeier, Women's Tennis, North Carolina
Anthony Carter Jr., Football, NC State
Leah Klenke, Women's Soccer, Notre Dame
William Donovan, Men's Lacrosse, Notre Dame
Jackson Gilman, Men's Soccer, Pitt
Enzo Panozzo, Men's Soccer, SMU
Mackenzie Lee, Women's Golf, SMU
Brandy Atuatasi, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field, Stanford
Zach Buckey, Football, Stanford
Benjamin Campbell Reide, Men's Rowing, Syracuse
Dana Shearer, Women's Rowing, Syracuse
Gary Martin, Men's Cross Country/Track & Field, Virginia
Lia Godfrey, Women's Soccer, Virginia
Kylie Aldridge , Softball, Virginia Tech
Lauren Hargrove, Women's Soccer, Virginia Tech
Cooper Andrew Flax, Men's Soccer, Wake Forest
Dhakshineswar Suresh Ekambaram, Men's Tennis, Wake Forest
