Diaz, Holoda nominated for SEC's 2019 McWhorter Award

2019_McWhorter_Award_Nominees2019_McWhorter_Award_Nominees

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Peter Holoda of the Auburn men's swimming and diving team and Lauren Diaz of the Tiger equestrian 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 2019 recipients of the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship on April 25.

Highlights of Auburn's nominees include:

PETER HOLODA, Swimming & Diving, Auburn

Major: Finance

  • Graduated with a bachelor's degree in finance in the fall of 2018
  • Olympian (Hungary), 2016
  • World Championships bronze medalist, 2017
  • 15-time All-American
  • SEC Champion as part of the 400 Free Relay, 2016
  • Second Team All-SEC, 2017-18
  • All-SEC Freshman Team, 2015
  • SEC Academic Honor Roll
  • Four-time NCAA participant
  • SEC Silver medalist in the 100 free as a senior and bronze medalist as a sophomore
  • SEC Top-8 finisher in the 50 free three times, including winning silver as a sophomore

LAUREN DIAZ, Equestrian, Auburn

Major: Political Science

  • Graduating with a degree in political science in May, 2019 (GPA: 3.72)
  • Set a new Auburn program record with career wins in Horsemanship in 2019
  • Will finish her career with the most meets competed in the event in program history
  • Has multiple scores among the program's top in the event
  • Had one loss in the regular season as a senior
  • Two-time NCEA All-Academic First Team, 2017, 2018
  • Two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll honoree, 2017, 2018
  • NCEA All-American, 2019
  • SEC Freshman Horsemanship Rider of the Year, 2016
  • SEC All-Freshman Team, 2016
  • First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll, 2016

Each year, the SEC, in conjunction with AT&T, an SEC official sponsor, provides the league's male and female McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Scholarship recipients with a $20,000 post-graduate scholarship. The 26 remaining male and female finalists for the award will also receive a $10,000 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 University of Tennessee football player Parker Henry and LSU volleyball player Kelly Quinn.