West Virginia’s Ryan Kelly, Iowa State’s Evan Hundley Named Big-12 Scholar-Athletes of the Year

Photo Courtesy: Andy Ringgold/Aringo

West Virginia’s Ryan Kelly and Iowa State’s Evan Hundley have been announced as the Big 12 Conference 2019 Winter Scholar-Athletes of the Year. The student-athletes have been selected as award winners for their respective sports based on the votes of each sport’s respective head coaches:

2019 BIG 12 MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Ryan Kelly, West Virginia, Jr., Whitby, Ontario

Mathematics major with a 3.87 GPA and 100 percent participation.
Two-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team honoree (2018 and 2019).
Helped the men’s 800 freestyle relay to a bronze medal at the 2019 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championship with a time of 6:35.38.

2019 BIG 12 WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Evan Hundley, Iowa State, Sr., Eldridge, Iowa

An industrial engineering major that boasts a 3.97 GPA and 100 percent participation this season.
Three-time Academic All-Big 12 First-Team honoree (2017, 2018 and 2019).
Named “Cyclone Relay Swimmer” after helping break a school record in the 200 medley and 400 free relays.

Photo Courtesy: Twitter, @Big12Conference

The Big 12 Conference established its Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award in 2012-13. A recipient is named in each conference-sponsored sport. Every Big 12 institution nominates one individual per sport with the winners selected by a vote of the league head coaches for that sport, who are not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes. Scholar-Athlete of the Year nominees must be a junior or senior (athletic and academic standing), have a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher, participate in at least 20 percent of the team’s scheduled contests and have a minimum of one year in residence at the institution.

Ryan Kelly, a native of Whitby, Ontario, boasts a 3.87 GPA as a mathematics major. He is a two-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection (2018, 2019) and was a member of the Academic All-Rookie Team as a freshman in 2017.

Photo Courtesy: Twitter, @WVUSwimDive

Additionally, Kelly has been named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll, the Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll, President’s List and Dean’s List during his collegiate career. He also was named a Scholar All-America Honorable Mention by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) in 2018.

In the pool, Kelly helped the Mountaineer 800 freestyle relay team to a bronze medal at the 2019 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championship. He also ranks in the top 10 in program history in the 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle and 200 butterfly.

“We’re very proud of Ryan for being recognized for his strong work in the classroom,” WVU coach Vic Riggs said. “He and his teammates have continued a long trend of academic success in our program, which is something we’ve always put at a very high priority. It’s exciting to keep our streak of receiving this honor going.”

Kelly joins James Koval (2018), Nathan Howells (2016), David Palley (2015) and Liam McLaughlin (2013) as recipients of the Big 12 Men’s Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year. In all, it’s the fifth consecutive season and sixth time in seven years WVU has had a man or woman earn the conference honor in swimming and diving.

Evan Hundley is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team recipient, nominated with a perfect 4.0 in 2018 and 2019. She becomes the first Cyclone swimming and diving Big 12 Scholar-Athlete.

Photo Courtesy: Twitter, @CycloneSD

Hundley was one of 26 Industrial Engineering students to earn a 4.0 in the fall 2018 semester at Iowa State. She was involved in a number of activities, including a role on the executive board of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She finished her swimming career at Iowa State as a school-record holder in the 200 medley and 400 free relays, and individually in the top-10 of both backstroke events.

“Evan has been a stellar student-athlete from day one,” head coach Duane Sorenson said. “Not only did she finish her athletic career by helping set two school records, she also will graduate as one of the top students in her major at Iowa State. She has a tremendous work ethic and has earned everything that she has achieved in her four years as a Cyclone.”

— The above press releases were posted by Swimming World in conjunction with The Big 12 Conference, West Virginia Athletics and Iowa State Athletics. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.

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West Virginia’s Ryan Kelly, Iowa State’s Evan Hundley Named Big-12 Scholar-Athletes of the Year

2019 BIG 12 MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Ryan Kelly, West Virginia, Jr., Whitby, Ontario

2019 BIG 12 WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Evan Hundley, Iowa State, Sr., Eldridge, Iowa

2019 BIG 12 MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Ryan Kelly, West Virginia, Jr., Whitby, Ontario

2019 BIG 12 WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Evan Hundley, Iowa State, Sr., Eldridge, Iowa