SEC Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athletes of the Year

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Feb. 22, 2023)—–Georgia’s Matthew Boling and Alabama’s Mercy Chelangat have been named the SEC Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athletes of the Year by a vote of the league head coaches.

Boling holds a 3.40 grade point average and is a senior majoring in business administration. He was voted CoSIDA (now CSC) Academic All-District in 2022 and was a third team Academic All-American in 2021. Boling was the recipient of the 2021 SEC Men’s Indoor Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year award and was a USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree.

A native of Houston, Texas, Boling is ranked fifth nationally with his altitude adjusted 20.49 to win the 200-meter dash at the Texas Tech Open. He won the 300m at the Clemson Invitational after clocking a school record 32.40, which made him the No. 3 all-time collegiate performer with the No. 4 all-time collegiate performance.

Chelangat holds a 3.85 grade point average and earned a degree in public health in May 2022. She is currently pursuing a second degree in communication. Chelangat has earned CoSIDA Academic All-American accolades and was named the 2020-21 USTFCCCA National Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the 2021 SEC Women’s Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

A native of Kericho, Kenya, Chelangat is ranked third in the 5000m with a time of 15:18.12 at the Boston University Sharon Colyear Danville Season Opener. She is also No. 8 nationally in the 3000m with a time of 8:54.50 at the 115th Millrose Games earlier this season.

The 2023 SEC Championships will take place Friday and Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark.