SAN FRANCISCO – STANFORD’s Gray Umbach was named the Pac-12 Men’s Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the 2015-16 season, the Conference office announced on Tuesday. The award, which is presented in each of the 23 sports the Pac-12 sponsors, was established to honor collegiate student-athletes that are standouts both academically and in their sports discipline.
Umbach, a chemical engineering major who boasts a 3.99 GPA, has been a mark of consistency for the Cardinal over the course of his career. He has earned five top-six finishes in individual events at the Pac-12 Championships and contributed to two top-five finishes in relays. The senior was an All-American in the 800-yard freestyle relay (2013) and in the 400-yard medley relay (2015) as well. In 2015, Umbach finished in fourth place overall in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:43.75. His season-best time in 2015-16 in the event is 1:44.20, good for No. 33 in the country heading into the Pac-12 Championships. Out of the pool, Umbach earned Pac-12 All-Academic first-team honors in 2014 and 2015.
In order to be eligible for the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, student-athletes must be a senior (in athletics eligibility) on track to receive a degree, have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher, participate in at least 50% of the scheduled contests in the sport and have a minimum of one year in residence at the institution. Each Pac-12 institution may nominate one individual per sport, and the winners are selected by a committee of Pac-12 staff members at the conclusion of each sport’s regular season. The athletic accomplishments of the nominees are a consideration in the voting for the award.
A Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be named in each of the Pac-12’s 23 sponsored sports: baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, beach volleyball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, football, men’s golf, women’s golf, women’s gymnastics, men’s rowing, women’s rowing, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, softball, men’s swimming & diving, women’s swimming & diving, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s track & field, women’s track & field, women’s volleyball, and wrestling.
Also Nominated: Dominic Ricotta, ARIZ; Hunter Atha, ASU; Jacob Pebley, CAL; Morten Klarskov, USC; Bence Kiraly, UTAH.
Press release courtesy of the official Pac-12 website
Note: Umbach was named the winner prior to this weekend’s Pac-12 championships. Umbach officially received his award in Federal Way this past weekend.
Although Gray Umbach is a legend at Texas age group swimming and still holds many age group records and I expected his domination to continue in college level, which never materialized, I have nothing but admiration for his academic success. Great job!
Psychodad, is the back of your hand ok after delivering that compliment? Keep us posted!
PS a 3.99 ChemEng GPA at Stanford is goddammed nuts and a bigger accomplishment than any A Cut. The fact that a living human has achieved both is remarkable. Respect.
Great honor. Well earned. Congrats!