Heather Duncan and Lutz Perner, both two-sport student-athletes at Francis Marion University, have been named the Peach Belt Athletic Conference's 1999-00 Outstanding Male and Female Student-Athletes of the Year.

This is the first time that two student-athletes from the same school have been selected for the honor. The award is based upon grade-point average and athletics participation, and each school in the conference nominated one male and one female student for the award.

Duncan, a defender on the Patriots' women's soccer team, graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in biology. She was a Francis Marion scholar, and she was named to the school's Athletic-Academic honor roll, as well as the Peach Belt honor roll, for four consecutive years. Duncan was a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa honor society, the Phi Kappa Phi honor society, the Beta Beta Beta honor society and Ars Medica.

During Duncan's four years at the school, the women's soccer team posted a 54-15-2 record and finished with a top-20 ranking in each of her first three seasons, including a national tournament bid in 1998. In 69 matches, Duncan scored nine goals and five assists.

Duncan plans to pursue a medical degree.

Perner, a forward on the Patriots' men's soccer team, graduated cum laude in May with a bachelor's degree in international studies. He was the first Francis Marion graduate to earn a degree in that major, and he completed his studies at the school with perfect marks.

Perner was twice named to both the Francis Marion Athletic-Academic honor roll and the Peach Belt honor roll, and he was a member of the school's International Club, the Pi Gamma Mu honor society, the Omicron Delta Kappa honor society and the Phi Kappa Phi honor society.

In 40 matches for the Patriots, Perner scored 11 goals and had nine assists. During his two-year tenure at the school, the men's soccer team posted a 32-7-2 record and won the 1999 Peach Belt Athletics Conference tournament.

Perner is furthering his education at the University of South Carolina, where he is pursuing a master's degree in international business studies.

Both Duncan and Perner also lettered on the nationally ranked Patriot tennis teams last season.