BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Gymnast Krystle Cook and soccer player Nathan Li have been nominated by the University of Kentucky for the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship.
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 2007 recipients of the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship on April 6 in conjunction with National Student-Athlete Day.
Cook, a senior from Austin, Texas, has earned a 3.8852 grade point average, majoring in Journalism. She is a two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and the Dean’s List. She was given the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award in Spring 2006 and was UK’s State Farm Insurance Student-Athlete of the Month.
A three-year letterwinner for the Wildats, she was UK’s best all-around gymnast of the 2006 season. Cook led the team on the uneven bars and the vault in 2006, winning the NCAA Central Region title in the vault with a 9.9 score.
Cook is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society and the Frank G. Ham Society of Character.
She is active in community service in the Lexington area, having participated in the YMCA Fall Festival, the UK Children’s Hospital Breakfast with Santa, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and has visited local elementary schools, speaking to children.
Li, a senior from Delta, British Columbia, has a 3.57 grade point average, majoring in Kinesiology with a minor in Political Science. He is a three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and has earned Dean’s List honors each semester at Kentucky. He is also a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society.
Li is a member of the UK Athletes Outreach Committee and the Frank G. Ham Society of Character. He is also the current president of the UK Athletes In Action chapter. He has participated in youth rallies, Boys and Girls Club activities, volunteered in Special Olympics and has served meals to the needy.
He was the team captain of the Wildcats 2006 squad and was named to the 2003-04 Mid-American Conference All-Tournament Team and the 2003 UK Invitational All-Tournament Team.
The SEC Office will be releasing each of its institution’s nominees periodically until the April 6 winners are announced. The schedule is as follows:
Alabama – Emeel Salem, Baseball (Male) / Aymara Albury, Track & Field (Female)
Arkansas – Adam Perkins, Track & Field/Cross Country (Male) / Sarah Pfeifer, Basketball (Female)
Auburn – Steven Segerlin, Swimming & Diving (Male) / Natalie Burton, Equestrian (Female)
Florida – Lee Humphrey, Baskeball (Male) / Kelli Eisenbrown, Soccer (Female)
Georgia – Brendon Todd, Golf (Male) / Kellie Middleton, Softball (Female)
Kentucky – Nathan Li, Soccer (Male) / Krystle Cook, Gymnast (Female)
LSU – March 28
Ole Miss – March 29
Miss. State – March 30
South Carolina – April 2
Tennessee – April 3
Vanderbilt – April 4
National Student-Athlete Day was created in 1987 by the (NCAS) and Northeastern University’s Center for the , and presented by the (NCAA) and the (NFHS).
National Student-Athlete Day is held each April 6 to celebrate outstanding student-athletes who have achieved excellence in academics and athletics while having made significant contributions to the community. It is also a time to recognize those parents, teachers, coaches and school systems which make it possible for young people to find the balance between academics and athletics.
Each year, the SEC, in conjunction with AT&T, an SEC Corporate Champion sponsor, provides the league’s male and female McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship recipients with a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship. The 22 remaining male and female finalists for the award will also receive a $5,000 post-graduate scholarship. The award recipients are chosen by a committee of Faculty Athletics Representatives from the 12 SEC institutions and are honored at the SEC Spring Meetings in Sandestin, Fla. on May 31.
Last year’s recipients were Florida basketball player Sarah Lowe and LSU football player Rudy Niswanger.
For more on National Student Athlete Day, .
