April 21, 2017

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Jonathan Boland of the South Carolina men’s swimming and diving team and Chelsea Drennan of the Gamecock soccer team have been nominated for the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship by the University of South Carolina.

The H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship has been presented by the Southeastern Conference since 1986 to the league’s top male and female scholar-athletes.

The Southeastern Conference will name the 2017 recipients of the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship on April 27.

Highlights of South Carolina’s nominees include:

Jonathan Boland, Men’s Swimming & Diving, South Carolina
Major: Exercise Science

-CSCAA Scholar All-American (2016) Honorable Mention CSCAA Scholar All-American (2015)
-SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
-SEC First Year Academic Honor Roll (2014)
-USC President’s List (4.0 GPA) – Six Times
-Arnold School of Public Health Dean’s List (3.5 GPA) – Eight Times
-USC Athletic Director Honor Roll – Eight Times
-Lieber Scholar and Palmetto Fellows Scholar
-Holds USC school records in 100-yard backstroke, 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard freestyle relay, 400-yard freestyle relay and 200-yard medley relay
-Three top-15 finishes at 2017 SEC Championships
-Qualified and competed at 2017 NCAA Championships in 200-yard Medley
-Relay Tallied 12 top-three finishes during the 2016-17 regular season
-2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trial qualifier in 100-meter backstroke
-2016 U.S. Open Championship medalist – 8th in 100-meter backstroke
-Member of 2015 NCAA Championships Team 2014 USA National Championship Qualifier
-Represented South Carolina in SEC Championships all four years
-Will graduate Summa Cum Laude from the University of South Carolina

Chelsea Drennan, Soccer, South Carolina
Major: Pharmacy

-NSCAA First-Team Scholar All-American (2016)
-CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team (2016)
-NSCAA Scholar All-South Region First Team (2016)
-CoSIDA Academic All-District 4 Team (2015)
-SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll (2014, 2015, 2016)
-SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll (2013)
-Dean’s List each semester throughout undergraduate career (2013-15)
-Maintained GPA of 3.7 or better throughout undergraduate career (2013-15)
-NSCAA Second Team All-American (2016)
-NSCAA All-South Region First Team (2016) and Third Team (2015)
-All-SEC First Team (2016)
-Freshman All-SEC Honors (2013)
-South Carolina’s all-time assists leader (40)
-Ranks first in school history with 12 game-winning assists
-Led the Gamecocks in assists in each of her four seasons at Carolina
-Ranks fourth in program history with 66 career points
-Captained Carolina in 2016, leading the team to the most wins (21) in school history and the 2016 SEC Regular-Season Title
-Tallied a career-best 27 points in 2016 to help the Gamecocks complete the first undefeated regular season (17-0-1) in SEC soccer history

Each year, the SEC, in conjunction with AT&T, an SEC official sponsor, provides the league’s male and female McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship recipients with a $15,000 post-graduate scholarship. The 26 remaining male and female finalists for the award will also receive a $7,500 post-graduate scholarship.

The award recipients are chosen by a committee of Faculty Athletics Representatives from the 14 SEC institutions and are honored at the SEC Spring Meetings in Sandestin, Fla., in early June.

Last year’s McWhorter Award recipients were Forrest Gamble of the Ole Miss men’s golf team and Haylie McCleney of the Alabama softball team.