MOUNT OLIVE – Following one of the most decorated freshman seasons in program history, University of Mount Olive track & field standout Serenity Harvey has been named the 2025-26 Conference Carolinas Female Athlete of the Year, as announced by the conference office.

Harvey becomes the second consecutive Trojan to earn the league's highest individual honor, following Janara Bryant in 2024-25, and the fourth student-athlete in University of Mount Olive history to receive the award.

The Whiteville, North Carolina, native capped a remarkable freshman campaign by capturing the NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championship in the 200-meter dash. Harvey crossed the finish line in a Conference Carolinas record time of 23.11 seconds in the championship final after posting an even faster 23.06 in the preliminary round. She also earned USTFCCCA All-America honors as a member of Mount Olive's national runner-up 4x100-meter relay team and placed 14th nationally in the 400-meter dash.

On the conference stage, Harvey was recognized as both the Conference Carolinas Indoor and Outdoor Freshman of the Year while also earning Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year honors. She claimed conference championships in the outdoor 200 and 400 meters after winning the indoor 200-meter title and finishing runner-up in the 400 meters. Harvey also qualified for the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships, where she finished 10th nationally in the 200 meters.

Throughout the outdoor season, Harvey was selected Conference Carolinas Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week twice and Outdoor Freshman of the Month twice.

"This award puts a finishing touch to an amazing freshman campaign," said head coach Earl Graves. "This year she made an immediate impact on our program helping us to four team championships as well as our first national champion. Serenity is a very hard worker, kind person, and determined to be successful. She is the personification of the conference motto: Champions in body, mind, and soul."

The Athlete of the Year Award (one male and one female each year) is the most outstanding student-athlete for the year in the league. Per Conference Carolinas Directors of Athletics vote, nominations will be accepted from member institutions to only include conference-sponsored sports and all nomination information, statistics and accomplishments are solely based on athletically-related criteria. 

Harvey's historic rookie season helped elevate the Trojans to one of the most successful years in program history and adds another milestone to an already impressive list of accomplishments that includes becoming the first NCAA Division II individual national champion in Mount Olive track & field history.