Modified from a press release courtesy of Auburn Athletic Communications.
AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn student-athletes TJ Leon (men’s swimming & diving) and Patrick Young (football) have been recognized as two of Auburn’s Rhodes Scholar nominees, the university announced on Friday.
“TJ Leon and Patrick Young represent the best and brightest of our many outstanding student-athletes” Director of Athletics Jay Jacobs said. “They both have a scholar’s mind and a servant’s heart, and they epitomize what it means to be Auburn men. We are extremely proud of what they have done academically, athletically and in the community.”
TJ Leon of Mobile, Alabama, is a senior majoring in biomedical sciences in the College of Sciences and Mathematics. A recipient of Auburn’s highly competitive Cellular and Molecular Biosciences Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship, Leon was named the Cliff Hare Award winner, the 2014 SEC Men’s Swimming and Diving Male Scholar Athlete of the year and a NCAA Postgraduate Scholar. His major professor is Michael Squillacote in the Department of Chemistry.
Leon capped off his Auburn career as Team captain senior year. He went to NCAAs for his fourth straight year, swimming as a relay alternate on the 200 free relay team; he split a 18.94 anchor and Auburn finished third. At SEC championships, Leon won his third conference title as a member of the 200 free relay, and placed seventh in the 50 free (19.49p). He was also 15th in the 100 fly (47.32) and 18th in the 100 free (43.73). Prior to Auburn, Leon swam for City of Mobile Swim Association.
The Auburn student-athletes will compete for a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, which gives 32 of the most outstanding young scholars in the country an opportunity to study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. The scholarship, one of the oldest in the world, aims to nurture public-spirited leaders for the world’s future as it promotes international understanding and peace.
“These students evoke the core values of Auburn University,” said Melissa Baumann, assistant provost for undergraduate studies and director of the Honors College. “They have succeeded through hard work in their courses and extracurricular activities and they are men and women of character. We are pleased to nominate them for these prestigious scholarships.”
Other past finalists include former Auburn linebacker Ashton Richardson, diver Dan Mazzaferro, swimming student-athletes Jordan Anderson, Spencer Kerns and Erica Meissner. The list also includes equestrian’s Jennifer Waxman, gymnastics’ Krissy Voss and track and field’s Hunter Hayes. Anderson won the Rhodes Scholarship in 2009.
TJ was so inspirational to my daughter Caroline in club swimming with CMSA in mobile . He constantly gave Caroline positive input with her swimming ability ! She is now a freshman in college at ohio university with an amazing coach and swimming ! Thanks TJ ! Good luck ! Many people can contribute to a young athlete’s success !
First, I’d like to say congratulations to TJ! Well done and War Eagle! I’ve had the privilege knowing this young man and his family for a number of years and can’t think of a better nominee! TJ’s dedication to his pursuits in and out of the pool are to commended. His parents are lovely people and have done an amazing job raising such a fine young man. Secondly, I’d like to say shame on you Gina Rhinestone! This piece was written to celebrate the accomplishments of scholar athletes. It is not a platform for you to voice your rude and unnecessary opinion. It’s an insult to diminish TJ’s efforts in the manner in which you have done so. You may… Read more »
For the negative posting about the historical background of the Rhodes scholarship…
“Lighten up, Francis” (apologies to Bill Murray)
The story was about a well rounded student athlete who made his club team, his university, and his sport proud. TJ didn’t pursue the award, he merely busted his butt in the pool and the classroom for four years and achieved laudatory results in both arenas and was recognized for that effort. The story was about an extraordinary person performing exceptionally well in today’s society.
The story definitely was NOT about Cecil Rhodes’ moral or ethical background from a century ago and comments about them were inappropriate in this forum relevant to this story.
Congratulate, don’t denigrate!
Pretty awesome to have one club team from Alabama (CMSA) produce two of these nominees.
How much wealth do you guess he took out of Southern Africa to be still funding these things 100 years later? Answer – mega .
The Cecil Rhodes ( aka colonialist exploiter of Southern Africa & precursor to Rhodesia ) scholarship is for former British colonies.
I checked up on the previous Michigan candidates to learn that Michigan was British for a few months just before the War of Independence as a result of Britain beating the French somewhere else.
Who can tell me about Alabama? Was it ever British?
I can accept some parts of America were under the Crown & thus eligible but it really is a bit of a comedown to have the whole nation thus a british subject in retro?
Have ye no pride but to be running to your old masters? And worse if they were not… Read more »