Barry, McNeely Nominated for McWhorter Award
Tuesday, April 14, 2015 | Lacrosse
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Football player Mike McNeely and lacrosse player Nora Barry have been nominated for the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship, as announced by the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
The H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship has been presented by the SEC since 1986 to the league's top male and female scholar-athletes.
The SEC will name the 2015 recipients of the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship on April 30.
Highlights of Florida's nominees include:
Mike McNeely, Football
• An Exercise & Sports Science major who graduated in December of 2014
• Four-year letter winner for the Gators who also excelled in the classroom and in the community
• Named the 2014 National Football Foundation Legacy Award Winner, given to individuals or organizations who have made extraordinary contributions to the NFF or embody its mission
• Earned the prestigious Presidential Service Award
• Entered Florida football lore when he executed a fake field goal and rushed for a 21-yard touchdown to spark the Gators to an upset win over rival Georgia
• Named the SEC Special Teams' Player of the Week after his play against Georgia
• On senior day, he caught two passes for 36 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown
• Three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll (2012-14)
Nora Barry, Lacrosse
• A Mathematics major with a minor in Spanish scheduled to graduate in May of 2015
• A three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll recipient and 2014 IWLCA Third-Team All-American
• Named to the 2015 Tewaaraton Award watch list prior to her senior season
• Led UF to three-straight ALC regular season titles and two tournament titles
• Became the fifth Gator to eclipse 100 career goals scored and holds the program record for career ground balls (129)
• Has started every game for the Gators since arriving in Gainesville as a freshman
• As a freshman she set a UF single-season record for ground balls in a season with 48, also scoring 40 goals and dishing out eight assists en route to being name ALC Rookie of the Year
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 late May.
Last year's McWhorter Award recipients were Cory Whitsett of the Alabama golf team and Shannon Vreeland of the Georgia swimming and diving team.
