April 25, 2014

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – University of Missouri seniors Alyssa Diggs and Max Storms are nominated for the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Award, as announced by the Southeastern Conference on April 25. One male and one female from each of the SEC's 14 institutions have been nominated for the scholarship. The Recipients of the award will be announced on May 6.

The H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship has been presented by the SEC since 1986 to the league's top male and female scholar-athletes. 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 $15,000 post-graduate scholarship. The 26 remaining finalists for the award will also receive a $7,500 post-graduate scholarship.

The award recipients are chosen by a committee of Faculty Athletics Representatives from the 14 SEC institutions and honored at the SEC Spring Meetings in Sandestin, Fla., in late May.

Highlights of Mizzou's nominees include:

Max Storms, Cross Country and Track & Field

• Graduated in December 2013 magna cum laude with his B.S. in civil engineering and a minor in Spanish 
• Finished his undergraduate studies with a 3.7 GPA 
• Currently working toward his Master of Science in Civil Engineering, and is expected to graduate in May 2015 
• Served as a volunteer with the Central Missouri Food Bank and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 
• A member of the Dean's List for eight consecutive semesters 
• Recipient of the 2012 NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship and the 2012 Dr. Gerald Lage Big 12 Award 
• Member of the 2013 CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District Team and a three-time U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Team honoree 
• Earned All-Academic honors in both the SEC (2013) and Big 12 (2010-12) for cross country and track 
• The Missouri School Record Holder in the 10,000-meter run and member of three of the program's All-Time Top Ten lists (indoor/outdoor 5,000-meter run and the indoor 3,000-meter run) 
• In 2012, led Mizzou's cross country team to its first national ranking since 2000, and finished senior year as All-SEC in both cross country (2012) and track (2013) 
• 2012 Cross Country All-Midwest Region finisher, qualifying for the NCAA Championships where he had the highest finish for a Tiger man since 1972 
• Two-time NCAA Track & Field West Preliminary Round qualifier in the 10,000-meter run (2012-13)
• Qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials in the marathon.

Alyssa Diggs, Soccer

• Expected to graduate with a B.S. degree in health sciences in May 2013 
• One of 39 University of Missouri seniors chosen as a 2014 Mizzou '39 honoree; recipients were chosen for the academic achievement, leadership and service to Mizzou and the community 
• Two-time member of the Capital One Academic All-District 6 Women's Soccer first team 
• Named to the SEC Fall Honor Roll twice and earned a spot on the 2011 Academic All-Big 12 first team 
• Named to the Dean's List every semester since 2010 
• Selected to the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and the QEBH Secret Honor Society 
• Two-time all-conference first team selection, as she made both the 2012 All-SEC first team and the 2011 All-Big 12 first team
• Earned spot on the 2012 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-South Region third team 
• Concluded Mizzou soccer career with 46 career points on 17 goals and 12 assists in 77 games
• Member of the 2013 SEC Soccer Community Service Team, volunteering at the Food Bank of Central and Northeast Missouri, Women's and Children's Hospital and The Intersection, been a PE helper at Good Shepherd Lutheran School, took part in the R-Word Campaign, Mizzou Moves and been a buddy at the Special Olympics National Student-Athlete Day

Last year's McWhorter Award recipients were Barrett Jones of the Alabama football team and Chelsea Oswald of the Kentucky track and field team.