GREENVILLE, S.C. – Earlier today the Conference Carolinas office announced the finalist for the annual Murphy Osborne Award, Converse University senior acrobatics & tumbling athlete Chloe Cleland was named as a finalist for the award.
 
Over a four-year career at Converse, Cleland has helped the Acrobatics & Tumbling team succeed on the mat. The senior is a three-time all-conference selection and has helped the Valkyries to four straight postseason appearances. Cleland won a pair of Conference Carolinas event championships in her career. During her freshman season, Cleland helped the Valkyries reach NCATA Championships and competed against top ranked Baylor.  
 
In the classroom, Cleland is a triple major studying Psychology, History, and Philosophy. The senior currently has a perfect 4.0 Grade Point Average and has won the Conference Carolinas Elite 23 Award in both 2024 and 2025. While at Converse, Cleland was a member of the Nisbet Honors Program, the Converse College for Women, the Converse Interfaith Club, Alpha Lambda Delta, Phi Sigma Lota, was a peer tutor, INBRE Research, SCICU research, University of Connecticut Research Experience for undergraduates.
 
Following graduation, Cleland plans to attend graduate school to earn an advanced degree in experimental psychology. Cleland has been accepted into the Master of Science program in Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom.  
 
To be eligible for the award, the student-athlete must be a December or May graduating senior or a first-year graduate student completing athletic eligibility at the same institution as undergraduate matriculation. The student-athlete must be a full-time student at the time of nomination, must have been a full-time student at the member school for at least two years and must be a starter or important substitute in a conference sport.
 
The award is named for longtime educator and college and university administrator Dr. Murphy Osborne.
 
2024-25 Conference Carolinas Murphy Osborne Award Finalists
 
Isabella Pita, Barton
Abigail Crain, Belmont Abbey
Danea Mackey, Chowan
Chloe Cleland, Converse
Jocelyn Martin, Emmanuel
Rupal Kharb, Erskine
Jenna Walling, Francis Marion
Jessica Campbell, King
Jesper Jonsson, Lees-McRae
Ashlyn Stone, Mount Olive
Anna Grossheim, UNC Pembroke
Caroline Smith, North Greenville
Thomas Macagg, Southern Wesleyan
Liam King, Young Harris
 
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