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 Jason Whaley is one of just 15 student-athletes from across the country to be named to College Football's 2003 National Scholar-Athlete Class. |
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Oct. 29, 2003
Cullowhee, N.C. - Jason Whaley, an All-Southern Conference football player and academic all-star at Western Carolina, is one of just 15 student-athletes from across the country - selected from NCAA Divisions I-A, I-AA, II, III and the NAIA - to be named to College Football's 2003 National Scholar-Athlete Class and receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship from The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.
"Since 1959, these highly sought after awards have recognized only a chosen few who have excelled above all in the areas of scholarship, citizenship and athletic performance," said National Football Foundation Chairman Jon. F. Hanson.
Whaley, just one of two student-athletes from I-AA to be honored, will be invited to New York City for a two-day stay at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. He will be a guest of honor, along with the Class of 2003 Division I-A inductees to the College Football Hall of Fame, at the 46th Annual Awards Dinner to be held Dec. 9, 2003. Joining Whaley and the other scholarship winners on the dais is the 2003 College Hall of Fame Class, which includes Joe Theismann (Notre Dame), Barry Sanders (Oklahoma State), Ricky Bell (Southern Cal), Murray Bowden (Minnesota), Tom Brown (Dartmouth), Jimbo Colvert (Pittsburgh), Jerry Levias (Southern Methodist), Billy Neighbors (Alabama), Ron Pritchard (Arizona State), John Rauch (Georgia), Roger Wehrli (Missouri), Coach Doug Dickey (Tennessee and Florida) and Coach Hayden Fry (Southern Methodist, North Texas State and Iowa).
Players were selected who have demonstrated outstanding academic application and performance, exemplary school and community leadership and citizenship, and superior football performance throughout their amateur career. The other 14 to be honored this season are Robert Droege (Missouri), Nathaniel Jones (Rutgers), Craig Krenzel (Ohio State), Eli Manning (Mississippi), Rodney Reed (Louisiana State), Dontarrious Thomas (Auburn), Jonathan Vilma (Miami [Fla.]), Renaldo Works (Oklahoma), John Freiser (Colgate), John Edmonds (NW Missouri State), Keith Jeckendorf (St. Cloud State), Flynn Cochran (Rensselear Polytechnic), Justin Napotnik (Theil) and Daniel Woodburn (Hastings).
"The 15 exceptional scholar-athletes we chose this year represent the best and brightest this nation has to offer on all playing fields," said Robert E. Mulcachy III, chairman of the Awards Committee and director of athletics at Rutgers. "Each year it seems the talent pool continues to expand, and our job to select the most deserving individuals gets more difficult. This year's incredible class is a testament to the hard work of our committee."
At the dinner, one of the 15 student-athletes will receive the Draddy Trophy as the top scholar-athlete in the nation, increasing the scholarship to $25,000.
Whaley (Beulaville, N.C./East Duplin HS) is a three-time WCU Male Student Athlete of the Year and carries a 3.910 cumulative grade point average in Computer Information Systems. On the field, he was a 2003 first team preseason All-American according to Street & Smith's and is Western's most versatile lineman, starting at left and right tackle as well as left and right guard in his career. He was also tabbed first team preseason All-Southern Conference this summer by the league's coaches after earning second team honors as a junior.
"Jason is the epitome of a student-athlete and I am happy for him and his family because he truly deserves this award and recognition," said Western Carolina director of athletics Jeff Compher. "He has shown superb balance in his life throughout his collegiate experience. More importantly, I know that he will take what he has learned on the field and in the classroom and use it to help others. We are extremely proud of Jason and appreciate how he has represented Western Carolina University with distinction."
Whaley made the move from left guard to right tackle for The Citadel game on September 20, a game the Cats won 28-21. He led a unit that did not give up a sack in 26 pass attempts and provided protection allowing Brian Gaither to pass for 224 yards. For his effort, Whaley was named the TIAA/CREF Southern Conference Student-Athlete of the Week.
Whaley's play has been a key in the Catamounts ranking among the SoCon leaders in passing for a second consecutive season. His offensive line unit has only allowed eight sacks in 364 passing attempts on the season, which is just one sack every 45.5 attempts and tops in the SoCon. (The next closest is fifth-ranked Wofford who allows one sack every 20.25 pass attempts.)
The 6-3, 275-pound lineman and 2003 team captain is a two-time Verizon Academic All-District III honoree, earning first team honors in 2002. He is also a three-time Southern Conference Honor Roll member and an eight-time Dean's List member. In 2002, he was named to the Division I-AA Athletics Directors Association Academic All-Star team. Whaley is a student in the Western Carolina Honors College as well as being a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society.
In addition to his athletic and academic success, Whaley has been active in several community service projects. He helped build a recreation park for area youth in Sylva and has prepared and served meals at The Community Table of Sylva, which provides free meals for people of need in the area. This past summer, as part of the student-athletes at the SoCon Football Media Rouser, Whaley visited a Greenville, S.C., hospital. He has continued that practice this fall, visiting the area hospital and nursing homes each Friday before home games.
Whaley is the second Catamount football player to earn a national postgraduate scholarship. In 1993, All-Southern Conference offensive lineman Thomas Jackson (Kenly, N.C.) was one of nine $5,000 recipients from among the NCAA's 561 football-playing schools to be awarded the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
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