GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Two Gators – football’s Justin Pelic and gymnast Brianna Edwards — are the University of Florida’s nominees 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 SEC will name the 2025 recipients of the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship on April 30.
Highlights of Florida’s nominees include:
Justin Pelic, Florida, Football
Major: Management
* Graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Management with Cum Laude honors.
* Had an overall undergraduate GPA of 3.72 and graduate GPA of 4.0.
* Earned a Sport Management Certificate in the fall of 2024.
* A five-time member of the SEC Fall Honor Roll and three-time recipient on the UF Dean’s list.
* Member of the UF Honors College, UF Football Leadership Council and UF SAAC.
* Currently volunteering at the Alachua County Community Hospice & Palliative Care.
* Involved in Physician Shadowing (Orthopedic Surgery) with SEC Team Physician of the Year, Dr. Kevin Farmer.
* Conducting research currently in the area of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (MUSC)
* Participated in the GatorMade & Rise Above Development – South Africa Service Trip, Night to Shine Prom – Tim Tebow Foundation and working with local Special Olympics, community cleanups, local elementary schools.
* Earned football accolades of the UF Oliver Outstanding Football Player Award (twice), Danny Wuerffel – Man of the Month and UF Football Walk-On of the Year and Off-Season Champion.
Brianna Edwards, Florida, Gymnastics
Major: Psychology
* Three-time Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) Scholastic All-American
* Three-time Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll and 2022 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll
* UF College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Dean’s List
* Member of Florida’s Black Student-Athlete Committee, serving as Mental Health Chair from 2021-23
* Graduated cum laude in May of 2024 with bachelor’s degree. Currently pursuing a graduate certificate in medical physiology
* Competed vault for Gator gymnastics team. Part of three SEC regular-season champion teams and two SEC Championship meet title teams
* Internships include UF Health Shands Cardiovascular ICU (summer 2024), UF Health Shands Neurology Medicine/Surgery (summer 2023)
* Shadowed with UF Health Shands Emergency Medicine (spring 2023) and MediGators (2022)
* Accepted to University of Florida Medical School and begins studies in summer of 2025
Each year, the SEC provides the league’s male and female McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship recipients with a $20,000 post-graduate scholarship. The 30 remaining male and female finalists for the award will also receive a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship.
The award recipients are chosen by a committee of Faculty Athletics Representatives from the 16 SEC institutions and are honored at the 2025 SEC Spring Meetings.
Four Gators have received this scholarship – Savanna Faulconer (Swimming/2021), Sarah Lowe (Basketball/2006); Matt Bonner (Basketball, 2003) and Janice Kerr (Gymnastics, 1989).
