Auburn nominees for McWhorter scholarships announced



Photo: SEC

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Joe Patching of the Auburn men's swimming and diving team and Kasey Cooper of the Tiger softball team have been nominated for the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship by Auburn University.

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 Auburn's nominees include:

JOE PATCHING, Men's Swimming & Diving, Auburn

Major: Business

Will earn his Bachelor's degree from the College of Business in May 2017

Dean's List Fall 2014, Spring 2016 & Fall 2016

Regions Bank Scholarship

Chi Alpha Sigma Athletic Honors Society

Financial Management Association Honors Society

Auburn record holder in the 200- and the 400-yard IMs

Owns 8 of the top 10 200-yard IM performances in school history

Owns 6 of the top 10 400-yard IM performances in school history

Was a part of the Auburn record-setting 800-yard free relay at the 2017 NCAA Championships

Third-fastest performer in school history in the 100- and 200-yard backstrokes

Fourth-fastest performer in school history in the 200-yard freestyle

Earned five All-America honors in 2017 to finish his career with 16 total

Finished career with 51 dual meet individual victories, with 17 of in senior season

Two-time SEC Community Service Team honoree

KASEY COOPER, Softball, Auburn

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Expected to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Mechanical Engineering

Samuel Ginn College of Engineering Dean's List (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)

NCAA Elite 90 Award Recipient

CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team

SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year (2016)

SEC Academic Honor Roll

United States Women's National Team member (2016, 2017)

espnW National Player of the Year (2016)

NFCA First Team All-America

SEC Player of the Year (2016)

All-SEC First Team (2015, 2016)

Second player in SEC history to achieve 250 hits and 250 RBI in a career

USA Softball Top 50 Watch List (2016, 2017)

Holds Auburn career records in home runs, RBI, on-base percentage and slugging percentage

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.