2016 Olympic gold medalist Gunnar Bentz was one of 23 swimmers awarded an NCAA post-graduate scholarship for the 2017-18 season, with 11 men and 12 women receiving the honor.
Awarded three times per year corresponding to each sport season (fall, winter and spring), the scholarship is awarded to up to 174 student-athletes (29 men and 29 women per season) who are at least in their final year of undergraduate work. Swimmers are eligible to earn the award during the winter season.
Among the credentials are a minimum 3.20 GPA, and that they have performed with distinction as a varsity team member in the sport in which the student-athlete is being nominated. The non-renewable $7,500 scholarship must all be used in the same academic year, and the student must be enrolled in a graduate degree granting program within one-year after the academic year the scholarship was awarded
Bentz, who finished up his senior year at Georgia with All-American honors in all three of his individual events, was joined by other notable names in Peter Holoda (Auburn) and Luke Kaliszak (Alabama). Check out the full list of swimmers below:
Men (11):
- Gunnar Bentz – Georgia
- Kent Fellows – Brigham Young
- Drew Hamilton – Case Western Reserve
- Chandler Hinson – Georgetown
- Peter Holoda – Auburn
- Luke Kaliszak – Alabama
- Theodore Miclau – Stanford
- Willem Poelmans – Wisconsin-Green Bay
- Oliver Smith – Emory
- Anze Tavcar – Indiana
- Cooper Tollen – Emory
Women (12):
- Sharli Brady – Mizzou
- Lindsey Engel – Stanford
- Jamie Fitzpatrick – Truman State
- Veronica Griesemer – Ithaca
- Bryn Handley – Southern Illinois
- Kim Hochstedler – Carnegie Mellon
- Natasha Lloyd – Auburn
- Carolyn McCann – Michigan
- Zoe Thatcher – Auburn
- Julia Wilson- Kenyon
- Kaitlin Wingert – Messiah
- Nicole Zanolli, – Washington (St.Louis)
For full criteria on earning a post-grad scholarship, click here. Below, find the full list of awardees for the fall and winter terms.
Nice article, James. Congratulations Gunnar.