WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Atlantic 10 Conference announced its postgraduate scholarships for 2026 and selected University of Dayton women's rowing senior Katherine Blandford as this year's recipient.

Blandford received the honor and will use the scholarship towards graduate school in sports medicine. The Cincinnati native has also earned Dayton All-Academic Team accolades at the R.U.D.Y.S. Banquet this year while serving as a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

The class is comprised of six female and eight male student-athletes representing seven different sports with an average GPA of 3.816. The selection process involves the league's athletic directors, senior woman administrators and faculty athletic representatives.
 
"I would like to congratulate our outstanding group of student-athletes. Each recipient of our Postgraduate Scholarship has demonstrated excellence both in competition and in the classroom. As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting student-athletes, the Atlantic 10 is proud to assist with their postgraduate studies. We look forward to following the future successes of these 14 deserving honorees," said A-10 Commissioner Dan Leibovitz.

On the water this spring, Blandford has competed in numerous events as a member of the V8+ squad. She will be finishing up her four-year career this month having earned multiple academic and leadership awards throughout her time as a Flyer. 

Blandford and the rest of the UD rowing team still have the 2026 A-10 Championships coming up next weekend on Saturday, May 16 in Pennsauken, N.J.

To be considered for the Postgraduate Scholarship, student-athletes must have performed with distinction both in the classroom and in their respective sports throughout their career, while demonstrating exemplary conduct in the community.

For the full list of A-10 honorees, click on the link above.

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