STARKVILLE, Mississippi -- Mississippi State receiver -- and Ocean Springs native -- Austin Williams continues to rack up awards for his athletic and academic prowess, with the Southeastern Conference this week naming Williams its SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards have been presented annually since 1986 to the top male and female student athletes within the SEC’s 14 member institutions. LSU track and field standout Lisa Gunnarsson was the female honoree.
“We congratulate Austin and Lisa as they are outstanding representatives of student-athletes from across the SEC,” said conference commissioner Greg Sankey in making the announcement Tuesday. “These young people are committed to the total student-athlete experience and it is reflected in the elite level of their academic and athletic accomplishments.
“The H. Boyd McWhorter Award is the highest honor earned by a student-athlete in the SEC and I congratulate both of them along with their families and universities on their outstanding achievements.”
Willliams, the son of Carol and Craig Williams of Ocean Springs, was chosen from among a field of 14 male nominees -- one from each SEC school -- by a panel of Faculty Athletics Representatives from SEC schools. As the winner, he will receive a $20,000 post-graduate scholarship.
That scholarship will likely come in handy, as Williams earned a degree in Finance in just three years, has already completed a Masters in Business Administration and, having been granted a COVID-19 year and thus another year of eligibility, will return to play an additional season at MSU while working on a second Masters degree.
Williams has maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average throughout his entire college career. He’s twice been named an Academic All-American and in 2021 was a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy (the “Academic Heisman”), the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award, and the Wuerffel Trophy, presented to the player who “best combined exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.”
In addition, he was chosen for the 2021 SEC Community Service Team, the MSU Football Leadership Council in 2020 and 2021 and was voted a team captain for the 2021 season.
On the field, Williams has played in 50 games for the Bulldogs and since 2019 has the SEC’s lowest drop rate for a wide receiver at 0.9%. Over his career, he has 116 catches for 1,245 yards and 12 touchdowns.
In 2021, he set personal highs for catches (52), yards (617) and touchdowns (4).
As noted, the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award began in 1986. The list of past winners includes a name familiar to local residents -- Jeff Noblin, now Dr. Jeff Noblin, who won the award as a football player at Ole Miss in 1987. Noblin has served as a team physician for the Ocean Springs High School football team for a number of years, including Williams’ four years with the Greyhounds.
For Williams, this past week was notable for more than just the SEC award -- he also got engaged to girlfriend Avery Goode. According to a Facebook post by his mother, Williams popped the question under the gazebo in Marshall Park in downtown Ocean Springs.
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