Owens, Whitmarsh Named as Nominees for SEC McWhorter Post-Graduate Scholarships
Apr 27, 2026 | Track and Field, Swimming and Diving
BIRMINGHAM – Texas A&M's Kaitlyn Owens of women's swimming & diving and Sam Whitmarsh of men's track & field were selected as nominees for the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship, the Southeastern Conference announced Monday.
Owens has excelled in her academics since arriving in Aggieland, as she boasts an unblemished 4.00 GPA while earning her bachelor's degree in animal science. Her outstanding performance in the classroom earned her Texas A&M's coveted Bill Erwin Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award and a nod from the College Sports Communicators after being named to the All-District Team. Throughout her career she has accumulated six AD Honor Roll selections, as well as earning recognition on the SEC Academic Honor Roll four times and the SEC First-Year Honor Roll. Rounding out her academic resume is an award from the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association, as she was tabbed a Scholar All-American.
"As the daughter of two Class of '95 Aggies, I was incredibly excited to notify my parents that I was the female athlete nominated to represent Texas A&M University for the H. Boyd McWhorter award," Owens said. "To be recognized among so many amazing student-athlete peers in the SEC is an incredible honor. I am grateful for the last five amazing years I've spent at Texas A&M and will be putting this scholarship towards my future as a veterinarian."
In the pool, Owens led by example, capturing four All-America honors throughout her time with the program. A sprint specialist, she excels in the 100 backstroke, as the senior ranks third in the school's record book with a time of 51.06. She displayed her value and versatility throughout her final campaign by serving as the leadoff leg on four of the Aggies' top relays. Recognized by her peers, Owens was presented with the coveted Aggie Heart Award in 2025 and was named Team MVP in 2026.
Whitmarsh stands out in the classroom, as he graduated with a 3.30 GPA in materials science and engineering while also pursuing an undergraduate certificate in holistic leadership and engineering. He concluded his time in Aggieland earning AD Honor Roll distinction eight times, while being added to the SEC Honor Roll on three occasions as well as one distinguished student award. Pairing his athletic and academics, Whitmarsh was recognized by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, garnering All-Academic status all-four years of his collegiate career. In 2025, Whitmarsh earned Texas A&M's Distinguished Letterman's Award, which is the highest honor an Aggie student-athlete can receive.
"Receiving the nomination for the H. Boyd McWhorter Award and having the opportunity to represent this incredible institution as one of the Texas A&M nominee is nothing short of the highest honor," Whitmarsh said. "I would not have been able to perform to the standards required by this award without the support of the Athletic Department or my coaches, not to mention the support I received from my wife Isabelle and my parents. I'm filled with gratitude and deeply humbled by this nomination. I look forward to stewarding the subsequent scholarship in a way that I hope makes my university and those listed above proud."
On the track, Whitmarsh cemented himself as an Aggie all-time great as he won the 2025 NCAA outdoor 800m title which helped ensure the men's sixth national team title in program history. Delivering on the conference level, he won four SEC titles in the 800m which included the indoor and outdoor crown in both 2024 and 2025. Whitmarsh's performance in his senior season, paired with his academic excellence
Earned him the USTFCCCA National Outdoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year award.
The SEC provides the league's male and female McWhorter Scholar-Athlete of the Year Post-Graduate Scholarship recipients with a $20,000 post-graduate scholarship. The 30 remaining male and female nominees for the award also receive a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship.
The award recipients are chosen by a committee of Faculty Athletics Representatives from the 16 SEC institutions.
Owens has excelled in her academics since arriving in Aggieland, as she boasts an unblemished 4.00 GPA while earning her bachelor's degree in animal science. Her outstanding performance in the classroom earned her Texas A&M's coveted Bill Erwin Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award and a nod from the College Sports Communicators after being named to the All-District Team. Throughout her career she has accumulated six AD Honor Roll selections, as well as earning recognition on the SEC Academic Honor Roll four times and the SEC First-Year Honor Roll. Rounding out her academic resume is an award from the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association, as she was tabbed a Scholar All-American.
"As the daughter of two Class of '95 Aggies, I was incredibly excited to notify my parents that I was the female athlete nominated to represent Texas A&M University for the H. Boyd McWhorter award," Owens said. "To be recognized among so many amazing student-athlete peers in the SEC is an incredible honor. I am grateful for the last five amazing years I've spent at Texas A&M and will be putting this scholarship towards my future as a veterinarian."
In the pool, Owens led by example, capturing four All-America honors throughout her time with the program. A sprint specialist, she excels in the 100 backstroke, as the senior ranks third in the school's record book with a time of 51.06. She displayed her value and versatility throughout her final campaign by serving as the leadoff leg on four of the Aggies' top relays. Recognized by her peers, Owens was presented with the coveted Aggie Heart Award in 2025 and was named Team MVP in 2026.
Whitmarsh stands out in the classroom, as he graduated with a 3.30 GPA in materials science and engineering while also pursuing an undergraduate certificate in holistic leadership and engineering. He concluded his time in Aggieland earning AD Honor Roll distinction eight times, while being added to the SEC Honor Roll on three occasions as well as one distinguished student award. Pairing his athletic and academics, Whitmarsh was recognized by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, garnering All-Academic status all-four years of his collegiate career. In 2025, Whitmarsh earned Texas A&M's Distinguished Letterman's Award, which is the highest honor an Aggie student-athlete can receive.
"Receiving the nomination for the H. Boyd McWhorter Award and having the opportunity to represent this incredible institution as one of the Texas A&M nominee is nothing short of the highest honor," Whitmarsh said. "I would not have been able to perform to the standards required by this award without the support of the Athletic Department or my coaches, not to mention the support I received from my wife Isabelle and my parents. I'm filled with gratitude and deeply humbled by this nomination. I look forward to stewarding the subsequent scholarship in a way that I hope makes my university and those listed above proud."
On the track, Whitmarsh cemented himself as an Aggie all-time great as he won the 2025 NCAA outdoor 800m title which helped ensure the men's sixth national team title in program history. Delivering on the conference level, he won four SEC titles in the 800m which included the indoor and outdoor crown in both 2024 and 2025. Whitmarsh's performance in his senior season, paired with his academic excellence
Earned him the USTFCCCA National Outdoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year award.
The SEC provides the league's male and female McWhorter Scholar-Athlete of the Year Post-Graduate Scholarship recipients with a $20,000 post-graduate scholarship. The 30 remaining male and female nominees for the award also receive a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship.
The award recipients are chosen by a committee of Faculty Athletics Representatives from the 16 SEC institutions.
Players Mentioned
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