University of Tennessee Athletics
Calvin Wetzel Selected As SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year
February 24, 2026 | Track & Field
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southeastern Conference office announced Tuesday that two-time Tennessee graduate Calvin Wetzel has been selected as the 2026 SEC Men's Indoor Track & Field Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year, recognizing his exceptional achievements both on the track and in the classroom throughout his collegiate career.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Wetzel is in his fifth and final season with the Vols and his seventh year competing in collegiate track & field. He began his career at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, where he competed for two seasons before transferring to the University of Tennessee in the fall of 2021. Since arriving on Rocky Top, Wetzel has earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and a master's degree in computer science. He is currently pursuing a PhD in computer science and has maintained an outstanding grade-point average throughout his collegiate journey.
On the track, Wetzel has enjoyed the most successful stretch of his career over the past 12 months. This season, he recorded personal bests in the 300-meter dash (33.30) and 400-meter dash (46.85), with the latter ranking 11th in program history. He also helped the Vols' 4x400-meter relay team post a time of 3:05.13 at the Clemson Invitational, which stands seventh all-time at Tennessee.
Wetzel's perseverance through multiple surgeries and setbacks was rewarded during the 2025 outdoor season, when he was first able to compete for the Big Orange. He clocked a lifetime-best 50.06 in the 400-meter hurdles at the SEC Championships and went on to place sixth in the conference final with a time of 50.21. His mark of 50.06 ranks 10th on Tennessee's all-time list.
Wetzel is the first Vol to receive SEC Track & Field Scholar Athlete of the Year honors since Jacob Lewis won the award for the 2024 indoor season. Wetzel shares the 2026 accolade with two other athletes: Alabama's Samuel Ogazi and Oklahoma's Brandon Green Jr. The award winners will be recognized at the upcoming 2026 SEC Indoor Championships, set for Thursday through Saturday in Bryan-College Station, Texas.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Wetzel is in his fifth and final season with the Vols and his seventh year competing in collegiate track & field. He began his career at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, where he competed for two seasons before transferring to the University of Tennessee in the fall of 2021. Since arriving on Rocky Top, Wetzel has earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and a master's degree in computer science. He is currently pursuing a PhD in computer science and has maintained an outstanding grade-point average throughout his collegiate journey.
On the track, Wetzel has enjoyed the most successful stretch of his career over the past 12 months. This season, he recorded personal bests in the 300-meter dash (33.30) and 400-meter dash (46.85), with the latter ranking 11th in program history. He also helped the Vols' 4x400-meter relay team post a time of 3:05.13 at the Clemson Invitational, which stands seventh all-time at Tennessee.
Wetzel's perseverance through multiple surgeries and setbacks was rewarded during the 2025 outdoor season, when he was first able to compete for the Big Orange. He clocked a lifetime-best 50.06 in the 400-meter hurdles at the SEC Championships and went on to place sixth in the conference final with a time of 50.21. His mark of 50.06 ranks 10th on Tennessee's all-time list.
Wetzel is the first Vol to receive SEC Track & Field Scholar Athlete of the Year honors since Jacob Lewis won the award for the 2024 indoor season. Wetzel shares the 2026 accolade with two other athletes: Alabama's Samuel Ogazi and Oklahoma's Brandon Green Jr. The award winners will be recognized at the upcoming 2026 SEC Indoor Championships, set for Thursday through Saturday in Bryan-College Station, Texas.
Players Mentioned
Sprints/Hurdles
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