Two Samford Student-Athletes Earn SoCon Postgraduate Scholarships
4.24.25 | Women's Volleyball, Academic Support
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Two Samford student-athletes were named the recipients of postgraduate scholarships from the Southern Conference when the league released its annual recipients Thursday morning.
Gracie Lynn Butler was named the winner of the Bob McCluskey Insurance Scholarship, while Kate Morgan won the Southern Conference Presidential Scholarship.
There were a total of 10 student-athletes selected from the 10 SoCon member institutions for postgraduate scholarships.
The recipients are nominated by their schools and selected by the Southern Conference Graduate Scholar Committee. The scholarships, worth $2,000 each, are awarded to student-athletes who intend to pursue advanced degrees in graduate or professional school. The student-athletes are evaluated on academics, athletics and community service.
A full bio on Samford's two winners is below.
Gracie Lynn Butler, Samford – Bob McCloskey Insurance Scholarship
Samford volleyball player Gracie Lynn Butler is one of two recipients of a Bob McCloskey Insurance Scholarship in 2025. A three-year starter for the Bulldogs, Butler was a first-team All-SoCon selection the last two seasons and made the all-tournament three times from 2022-24. Along with her teammates, the senior has volunteered with Bundles of Hope helping distribute diapers in the community. Since 2022, the native of Hazel Green, Alabama, has been the volleyball team's representative in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), a small group leader for high school girls with Discipline Now Weekends and assisted with Grace Klein Community. Butler, who is enrolled in Samford's Honors College, has been on the Dean's List each year on campus. The double major in Management and Entrepreneurship will begin her MBA in August.
Kate Morgan, Samford – Southern Conference Presidential Scholarship
Samford's Kate Morgan is a recipient of the 2025 Southern Conference Presidential Scholarship and has been a team captain for the last two seasons on the Samford volleyball team. In 2022, Morgan was the SoCon Libero of the Year and a second-team all-conference pick, helping the squad to a conference tournament title. In 2023, she was selected to the all-tournament team. Since 2021, the native of Waxahachie, Texas, has helped with Bundles of Hope, Waxahachie Care and Spooktacular, which raises money for children with cancer. Morgan has also assisted at the Cahaba Valley Dental Clinic and did volleyball clinics in Brazil in 2024. The Samford dean's list and Academic All-SoCon member each of the last three years plans to begin work at the Texas A&M College of Dentistry in the fall.
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