NEW ORLEANS – Old Dominion University women’s swimmer Kiersten Donnelly was named the Sun Belt Conference Overall Female Postgraduate Award Winner, the Sun Belt announced on Wednesday.
The scholarships are awarded to selected student-athletes with stated intentions to pursue a graduate degree following the completion of their undergraduate requirements and are sent directly to the graduate school of each recipient’s choice. The recipients were selected by the Sun Belt Postgraduate Scholarship Committee, which is comprised of Faculty Athletic Representatives from across the conference. Donnelly’s scholarship is for $9,750.
To be eligible for Sun Belt Conference Postgraduate Scholarships, nominees must have exhausted eligibility, been declared or designated a varsity letter winner in a Sun Belt-sanctioned sport at a member institution for at least two seasons and achieved a minimum undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.3 (on a 4.0 scale).
Donnelly, a three-year letterwinner for the Monarchs as a swimmer, earned a bachelor’s degree in bio-medical science. She plans to attend medical school to follow her passion for family medicine and has been accepted to the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. She earned all-conference honors this year with a pair of third place finishes at the Sun Belt Championship meet. She finished third in the 100 butterfly with a time of 54.61 and third in the 100 backstroke with a time of 54.92.
2025 Sun Belt Conference Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients
Overall Female Postgraduate Award Winner:
Kiersten Donnelly, Old Dominion (Women’s Swimming & Diving)
Overall Male Postgraduate Award Winner:
Ethan Bowens, Marshall (Men’s Track and Field)
Postgraduate Scholarship Award Recipients:
Sierra Dickson, Texas State (Women’s Basketball)
Abby Grosinske, Troy (Women's Track & Field)
Delien Kleinhans, South Alabama (Women's Tennis)
Ellie McIntyre, Georgia Southern (Women's Soccer)
Nicolette Picone, Coastal Carolina (Softball)
Alaina West, Georgia State University (Women's Soccer)