Laning, Drop Named SEC XC Scholar-Athletes of the Year

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (October 28, 2020)-----Nick Laning of Vanderbilt University and Samantha Drop of the University of Georgia have been named the SEC Cross Country Scholar-Athletes of the Year by a vote of the league's head coaches.

Laning, a junior from Barrington, Ill., has a 3.983 grade point average and is pursuing a degree in civil engineering with a minor in computer science. He was named 2019-20 CoSIDA Academic All-District and was a member of the 2019-20 SEC Academic Honor Roll. Laning also garnered 2019-20 U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic honors. He led the Vanderbilt team and finished sixth overall (24:55.5) at the season-opening Commodore Classic and was the third overall finisher at the Gans Creek Classic with time of 24:09.0.

Drop, a senior from Durham, Conn., holds a 3.99 grade point average and is pursuing a degree in nutritional science. She was previously named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team and is a five-time USTFCCCA Academic All-District Team selection. Drop also received Georgia's Joel Eaves Scholar-Athlete Award for being the female student-athlete with highest GPA entering the fall semester. Drop led Georgia with a seventh place overall finish (17:08.5) at the Florida State Invitational earlier this season.

The SEC Cross Country Championships will take place Friday in Baton Rouge, La.

2020 SEC Cross Country Scholar-Athletes of the Year

Men's Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Nick Laning, Vanderbilt

Women's Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Samantha Drop, Georgia