McClain named PAC SAAC Scholar-Athlete of the Month

3/19/2026 6:20:00 PM

TRAFFORD, Pa.--Westminster junior Maddy McClain (Elizabeth, Pa., Elizabeth Forward) was named a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Scholar-Athlete of the Month for February Thursday afternoon.

Each month, the SAAC groups at each PAC member institution are asked to nominate one male and one female student-athlete for PAC SAAC Scholar-Athlete of the Month consideration based on academic and athletic accomplishments. Nominees must be a varsity team member in their respective sport(s) and in their junior or senior year. Scholar-Athlete of the Month nominees must have a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher and be actively involved within their campus communities.

A member of Westminster's women's swimming and diving program, McClain joins Washington & Jefferson junior Nathan Plotner, a member of the Presidents' men's basketball program, as the PAC SAAC's February honorees.

A biology major, McClain owns a 3.74 cumulative GPA. She is also pursuing a minor in Spanish.

McClain was recently named a First Team All-PAC selection for her performance at this year's PAC Swimming & Diving Championships (Feb. 18-21). It is McClain's third All-PAC selection: she was a First Team All-PAC choice in 2023-24 and Second Team All-PAC pick in 2024-25. McClain captured the title in the 1650 freestyle on the final night of the championships with a winning time of 17:59.23, which was nearly 14 seconds better than the event's second-place finisher. The runner-up in the event in 2024 and 2025, McClain entered the event with the No. 2 seed time. She was Westminster's first 1650 champion since Anne Tillie in 2017. McClain also finished third in the 500 freestyle (5:17.48) and 400 IM (4:43.53). She anchored Westminster's second-place 800 freestyle relay (8:17.82) and third-place 400 freestyle relay (3:47.65), swam freestyle on fifth-place 200 medley relay (1:58.06) and swam butterfly on the sixth-place 400 medley relay (4:21.91).

Named to Dean's List four times, McClain was a PAC Academic Honor Roll designee in 2024 and 2025. She is a member of the Beta Beta Beta (Tri-Beta) national honor society and academic fraternity for undergraduate students dedicated to improving the understanding of biology, fostering research, and promoting scholarship. McClain is a member of the Lambda Sigma honor society, a national honor society for second-year undergraduate students, is dedicated to the purpose of fostering leadership, scholarship, fellowship and service. She served as President in 2024-25 and is working as an advisor in 2025-26. McClain is also a member of Sigma Delta Pi, an honor society for those who seek and attain excellence in the study of the Spanish language and in the study of the literature and the culture of Spanish-speaking people. Currently working as the campus chapter's Vice President.

McClain has served as president of the College's Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) chapter and worked as a worship leader with the Office of Faith & Spirituality and Campus Ministry program, planning weekly worship sets and performing for weekly worship and special campus events. She has also served as an interpreter as part of the College's Dominican Republic Medical Mission Trip. During the week-long trip, students will have the opportunity to work in clinics, shadowing and providing assistance to medical professionals in their future career fields.

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