Walter Clayton Jr.'s postseason heroics helped propel the Gators to the national championship.
Clayton Named SEC Male Athlete of the Year
Wednesday, July 9, 2025 | Men's Basketball
Walter Clayton Jr. has been named the Southeastern Conference's Roy F. Kramer Male Athlete of the Year, the SEC announced on Wednesday.
Clayton led the Gators to the 2025 men's basketball national championship while garnering Final Four Most Outstanding Player recognition and consensus first-team All-America honors. He becomes Florida's 14th all-time Kramer Athlete of the Year honoree (17 total honors) and the first in men's basketball.
Clayton is UF's sixth male athlete so honored, joining Danny Wuerffel (1995, '96), Ryan Lochte (2005), Tim Tebow (2007, '08), Caeleb Dressel (2018) and Grant Holloway (2019). This also marks the third straight year that Florida has had an honoree with Parker Valby (2024) and Trinity Thomas (2023) taking home Female Athlete of the Year recognition. Florida leads the SEC all-time with eight male and nine female Athlete of the Year honors.
The Lake Wales, Fla., native averaged 18.3 points last season, and his 713 total points set Florida's single-season record. He was at his best in the biggest moments, as he recorded a career-high 34 points in the Final Four vs. Auburn on the heels of 30 in the Elite Eight victory vs. Texas Tech, becoming the first player since Larry Bird to post 30+ points in back-to-back games in the regional final or later.
Clayton also averaged 20.7 points and shot 13-for-26 from 3-point range in the SEC Tournament to win MVP and All-Tournament Team honors as UF won the event for the first time since 2014.
Clayton graduated from UF in Spring 2025 with a degree in Educational Sciences and was selected 18th overall in the NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz.
2025-26 Men's Basketball Season Tickets
Following a 15–1 home record, nine sellout crowds, and the highest attendance since the 2016–2017 season, the defending National Champions are set for another exciting year in the O'Dome. Season ticket packages for the 2025–2026 campaign are on sale now and selling quickly. Be sure to secure your seats while supplies last!
Florida's SEC Athletes of the Year
2025 Male Nominees: Mark Sears, Alabama (basketball); Wehiwa Aloy, Arkansas (baseball); Johni Broome, Auburn (basketball); Walter Clayton Jr., Florida (basketball); Luca Urlando, Georgia (swimming); Carlie Makarawu, Kentucky (track & field); Kade Anderson, LSU (baseball); Michael La Sasso, Ole Miss (golf); Peyton Bair, Mississippi State (track & field); Jonathan Seremes, Missouri (track & field); Ralford Mullings, Oklahoma (track & field); LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina (football); Jordan Crooks, Tennessee (swimming); Hubert Kos, Texas (swimming); Sam Whitmarsh, Texas A&M (track & field); Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt (football)
2025 Female Nominees: Doris Lemngole, Alabama (cross country/track & field); Bri Ellis, Arkansas (softball); DJ Bennett, Auburn (tennis), Leanne Wong, Florida (gymnastics); Dasha Vidmanova (female winner), Georgia (tennis); Brooklyn DeLeye, Kentucky (volleyball); Aneesah Morrow, LSU (basketball); Caitlyn Macnab, Ole Miss (golf); Maddy Anderson, Mississippi State (soccer); Helen Hu, Missouri (gymnastics); Jordan Bowers, Oklahoma (gymnastics); JaMeesia Ford, South Carolina (track & field); Karlyn Pickens, Tennessee (softball); Madison Booker, Texas (basketball); Jaiya Covington, Texas A&M (track & field); Celia-Belle Mohr, Vanderbilt (tennis)
Roy F. Kramer Southeastern Conference Athlete of the Year Recipients
Clayton led the Gators to the 2025 men's basketball national championship while garnering Final Four Most Outstanding Player recognition and consensus first-team All-America honors. He becomes Florida's 14th all-time Kramer Athlete of the Year honoree (17 total honors) and the first in men's basketball.
Clayton is UF's sixth male athlete so honored, joining Danny Wuerffel (1995, '96), Ryan Lochte (2005), Tim Tebow (2007, '08), Caeleb Dressel (2018) and Grant Holloway (2019). This also marks the third straight year that Florida has had an honoree with Parker Valby (2024) and Trinity Thomas (2023) taking home Female Athlete of the Year recognition. Florida leads the SEC all-time with eight male and nine female Athlete of the Year honors.
The Lake Wales, Fla., native averaged 18.3 points last season, and his 713 total points set Florida's single-season record. He was at his best in the biggest moments, as he recorded a career-high 34 points in the Final Four vs. Auburn on the heels of 30 in the Elite Eight victory vs. Texas Tech, becoming the first player since Larry Bird to post 30+ points in back-to-back games in the regional final or later.
Clayton also averaged 20.7 points and shot 13-for-26 from 3-point range in the SEC Tournament to win MVP and All-Tournament Team honors as UF won the event for the first time since 2014.
Clayton graduated from UF in Spring 2025 with a degree in Educational Sciences and was selected 18th overall in the NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz.
2025-26 Men's Basketball Season Tickets
Following a 15–1 home record, nine sellout crowds, and the highest attendance since the 2016–2017 season, the defending National Champions are set for another exciting year in the O'Dome. Season ticket packages for the 2025–2026 campaign are on sale now and selling quickly. Be sure to secure your seats while supplies last!
Florida's SEC Athletes of the Year
| 2025 | Walter Clayton Jr. | Basketball |
| 2024 | Parker Valby | Cross Country/Track & Field |
| 2023 | Trinity Thomas | Gymnastics |
| 2019 | Grant Holloway | Track & Field |
| 2018 | Caeleb Dressel | Swimming |
| 2016 | Bridget Sloan | Gymnastics |
| 2015 | Lauren Haeger | Softball |
| 2014 | Hannah Rogers | Softball |
| 2009 | Tim Tebow | Football |
| 2008 | Tim Tebow | Football |
| 2005 | Ryan Lochte | Swimming |
| 1997 | Danny Wuerffel | Football |
| 1996 | Danny Wuerffel | Football |
| 1994 | Nicole Haislett | Swimming |
| 1993 | Nicole Haislett | Swimming |
| 1988 | Dara Torres | Swimming |
| 1984 | Tracy Caulkins | Swimming |
2025 Male Nominees: Mark Sears, Alabama (basketball); Wehiwa Aloy, Arkansas (baseball); Johni Broome, Auburn (basketball); Walter Clayton Jr., Florida (basketball); Luca Urlando, Georgia (swimming); Carlie Makarawu, Kentucky (track & field); Kade Anderson, LSU (baseball); Michael La Sasso, Ole Miss (golf); Peyton Bair, Mississippi State (track & field); Jonathan Seremes, Missouri (track & field); Ralford Mullings, Oklahoma (track & field); LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina (football); Jordan Crooks, Tennessee (swimming); Hubert Kos, Texas (swimming); Sam Whitmarsh, Texas A&M (track & field); Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt (football)
2025 Female Nominees: Doris Lemngole, Alabama (cross country/track & field); Bri Ellis, Arkansas (softball); DJ Bennett, Auburn (tennis), Leanne Wong, Florida (gymnastics); Dasha Vidmanova (female winner), Georgia (tennis); Brooklyn DeLeye, Kentucky (volleyball); Aneesah Morrow, LSU (basketball); Caitlyn Macnab, Ole Miss (golf); Maddy Anderson, Mississippi State (soccer); Helen Hu, Missouri (gymnastics); Jordan Bowers, Oklahoma (gymnastics); JaMeesia Ford, South Carolina (track & field); Karlyn Pickens, Tennessee (softball); Madison Booker, Texas (basketball); Jaiya Covington, Texas A&M (track & field); Celia-Belle Mohr, Vanderbilt (tennis)
Roy F. Kramer Southeastern Conference Athlete of the Year Recipients
| Year | Male | Female |
| 2025 | Walter Clayton Jr., Florida (basketball) | Dasha Vidmanova, Georgia (tennis) |
| 2024 | Jayden Daniels, LSU (football) | Parker Valby, Florida (cross country/track & field) |
| 2023 | Dylan Crews, LSU (baseball) | Trinity Thomas, Florida (gymnastics) |
| 2022 | Bryce Young, Alabama (football) | Aliyah Boston, South Carolina (basketball) |
| 2021 | DeVonta Smith, Alabama (football) | Madison Lilley, Kentucky (volleyball) |
| 2020 | Joe Burrow, LSU (football) | Tyasha Harris, South Carolina (basketball) |
| 2019 | Grant Holloway, Florida (track) | Maria Fassi, Arkansas (golf) |
| 2018 | Caeleb Dressel, Florida (swimming) | A'ja Wilson, South Carolina (basketball) |
| 2017 | Brent Rooker, Mississippi State (baseball) | Kendell Williams, Georgia (track & field) |
| 2016 | Jarrion Lawson, Arkansas (track & field) | Bridget Sloan, Florida (gymnastics) |
| 2015 | Andrew Benintendi, Arkansas (baseball) | Lauren Haeger, Florida (softball) |
| 2014 | A.J. Reed, Kentucky (baseball) | Hannah Rogers, Florida (softball) |
| 2013 | Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M (football) | Allison Schmitt, Georgia (swimming) |
| 2012 | Anthony Davis, Kentucky (basketball) | Brooke Pancake, Alabama (golf) |
| 2011 | John-Patrick Smith, Tennessee (tennis) | Kayla Hoffman, Alabama (gymnastics) |
| 2010 | Mark Ingram, Alabama (football) | Susan Jackson, LSU (gymnastics) |
| 2009 | Tim Tebow, Florida (football) | Courtney Kupets, Georgia (gymnastics) |
| 2008 | Tim Tebow, Florida (football) | Candace Parker, Tennessee (basketball) |
| 2007 | David Price, Vanderbilt (baseball) | Monica Abbott, Tennessee (softball) |
| 2006 | Xavier Carter, LSU (track & field) | Seimone Augustus, LSU (basketball) |
| 2005 | Ryan Lochte, Florida (swimming) | Kirsty Coventry, Auburn (swimming) |
| 2004 | Alistair Cragg, Arkansas (cross country/track) | Jeana Rice, Alabama (gymnastics) |
| 2003 | Alistair Cragg, Arkansas (cross country/track) | LaToya Thomas, Mississippi State (basketball) |
| 2002 | Walter Lewis, LSU (track & field) | Andree' Pickens, Alabama (gymnastics) |
| 2001 | Matias Boeker, Georgia (tennis) | Amy Yoder Begley, Arkansas (cross country/track) |
| 2000 | Kip Bouknight, South Carolina (baseball) | Kristy Kowal, Georgia (swimming) |
| 1999 | Tim Couch, Kentucky (football) | Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee (basketball) |
| 1998 | Peyton Manning, Tennessee (football) | Chamique Holdsclaw, Tennessee (basketball) |
| 1997 | Danny Wuerffel, Florida (football) | Trinity Johnson, South Carolina (softball) |
| 1996 | Danny Wuerffel, Florida (football) | Saudia Roundtree, Georgia (basketball) |
| 1995 | Todd Helton, Tennessee (baseball) | Jenny Hansen, Kentucky (gymnastics) |
| 1994 | Corliss Williamson, Arkansas (basketball) | Nicole Haislett, Florida (swimming) |
| 1993 | Jamal Mashburn, Kentucky (basketball) | Nicole Haislett, Florida (swimming) |
| 1992 | Shaquille O'Neal, LSU (basketball) | Vicki Goetze, Georgia (golf) |
| 1991 | Shaquille O'Neal, LSU (basketball) | Daedra Charles, Tennessee (basketball) |
| 1990 | Alec Kessler, Georgia (basketball) | Dee Foster, Alabama (gymnastics) |
| 1989 | Derrick Thomas, Alabama (football) | Bridgette Gordon, Tennessee (basketball) |
| 1988 | Will Perdue, Vanderbilt (basketball) | Dara Torres, Florida (swimming) |
| 1987 | Cornelius Bennett, Alabama (football) | Lillie Leatherwood King, Alabama (track & field) |
| 1986 | Bo Jackson, Auburn (football) | Jennifer Gillom, Ole Miss (basketball) |
| 1985 | Will Clark, Mississippi State (baseball) | Penney Hauschild, Alabama (gymnastics) |
| 1984 | Terry Hoage, Georgia (football) | Tracy Caulkins, Florida (swimming) |
| 1983 | Herschel Walker, Georgia (football/track and field) | |
| 1982 | Buck Belue, Georgia (football/baseball) | |
| 1981 | Rowdy Gaines, Auburn (swimming) | |
| 1980 | Kyle Macy, Kentucky (basketball) | |
| 1979 | Reggie King, Alabama (basketball) | |
| 1978 | Jack Givens, Kentucky (basketball) | |
| 1977 | Larry Seivers, Tennessee (football) | |
| 1976 | Harvey Glance, Auburn (track & field) |
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballTommy Haugh Media Availability 9-22-25
Monday, September 22
Alex Condon Media Availability 9-22-25
Monday, September 22
Todd Golden Media Availability 9-22-25
Monday, September 22
Xaivian Lee Press Conference 6-17-25
Tuesday, June 17
