Swim, service and scholarship – the start of Abby McCulloh’s legacy
Kira Doppel
Jun 5, 2025
NCAA champion and Georgia native Abby McCulloh is redefining what it means to be a scholar-athlete. Her accomplishments exceed the pool and classroom and extend into her community, where she has committed countless hours to service and leadership initiatives.
McCulloh was named the SEC H. Boyd McWhorter Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year and graduated May 9 with a 4.0 GPA in journalism and a minor in sports management. McCulloh will return to the University of Georgia to pursue a master’s degree in sports management.
“Furthering my education is super important to me,” McCulloh said. “I'm going to be attending UGA for my master's in sports management. Just being able to have money put towards that, that I've earned, is really special.”
McCulloh is a member of the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline academic honor society, Phi Kappa Phi. She is also a part of the Palladia Women’s Honor Society, which is invitation only and includes a select group of upperclassmen who demonstrate leadership, service and academic excellence.
“They give you more of a network of people who are like-minded individuals, striving for excellence,” McCulloh said. “And I feel like everybody really wants to help everybody.”
Her success isn’t confined to the classroom; the same drive for success and dominance shows up when McCulloh dives into the pool.
McCulloh won the NCAA Division I Championship in the 1,650-yard freestyle in 2024, earned multiple SEC Championship titles and medals, was a seven-time All-American and holds several records at Bauerle Pool.
“They asked me, like, ‘Did you think you could do it?’ And my answer was ‘Not really,’” McCulloh said of her national championship win. “You don't have to be this crazy, overconfident person to do incredible things. You just have to work hard, be kind, and give your all, and what you accomplish is what you accomplish.”
When discussing all of McCulloh’s achievements, she emphasized the importance of hard work, mental health and personal growth over individual achievements.
“I like encouraging young girls to reach their goals and know that women's athletics is just as important as men’s,” McCulloh said. "I just hope that people also see me and realize that I'm just a normal person. I hope that they look at me and they say, like, I see some of myself in her, like, if she can do it, I can do it.”
Her mindset of humility and dedication extends beyond the pool, where McCulloh’s commitment to service has become integral to her identity.
McCulloh has been named to the SEC Community Service Team for two consecutive years, works with Athens Church guest services and volunteers with the Special Olympics and Swim Across America to raise money for cancer research.
McCulloh was on the junior advisory board for Swim Across America in high school and discussed how special it is when you can connect a service project with something you are passionate about, because that's when the most success comes out of events.
“My freshman year of college, one of my childhood friends, who really was one of the first people I knew in swimming, passed away from cancer,” she said. “We ended up doing a pool swim in his memory, and I think that one really hit home. Having a bunch of the Swim Atlanta community there fundraising to hopefully help find that cure, so other people don't have to go through the same thing. That’s what influenced me to find ways to help in college.”
With all of her accomplishments, McCulloh said she is able to maintain a healthy balance because she prioritizes mental health.
“I’m really fortunate to have a strong example in my mom,” she said. My mom is an incredible business woman, super thoughtful, intentional, a loving friend and a good mom. From a young age, she really instilled in me that swimming is important, but like, don't forget about your friends, or don't forget about your schoolwork.”
McCulloh also discussed that her mom would explain to her growing up, if she felt as though she was not ready for a test, she would not be going to practice. Though McCulloh at the time felt like that was the end of the world, she emphasized how she felt it really paid off.
She also said she does things daily to prioritize her mental health and not let one part of her life consume her and is very intentional with her time and how she manages it best for herself.
With all of her accomplishments, the idea of legacy could not be left undiscussed as she builds it bit by bit. When discussing her legacy, McCulloh referenced a Maya Angelou quote, “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
One would think a person who has accomplished so much would want to be remembered by accolades, trophies or wins, but not McCulloh.
“I really hope to be remembered for the way I influenced someone's life in a positive way and in a faith-based way,” McCulloh said. “I hope that they feel like I love them like Christ did.”
