Kaevon Merriweather Whitten Award Semifinalist

Iowa Senior Safety Up National Leadership Honor

Iowa safety Kaevon Merriweather speaks with the media on Oct. 18, 2022 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)

IOWA CITY, Iowa - University of Iowa senior defensive back Kaevon Merriweather is one of 20 semifinalists for the sixth annual Jason Whitten Collegiate Man of the Year. The announcement was made Wednesday by the Jason Whitten Selection Committee. Three finalists will be announced on Dec. 14 and the winner will be presented in February.

Merriweather, a native of Belleville, Michigan (Belleville High School), has started all 10 games at strong safety. He is second on the team with three interceptions and ranks fifth on the team with 41 tackles. He has been a team captain each week of the season.

Merriweather recovered and returned a Rutgers fumble 30 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter of Iowa’s 27-10 win over the Scarlet Knights. It ranks as the fifth longest fumble return touchdown in school history. Later in the contest, Merriweather collected his first interception of the season, returning the theft 33 yards.

Merriweather had his second interception of the season in Iowa’s 33-13 Homecoming win over Northwestern and added his third theft in the 24-3 win at Purdue. He also has two tackles for loss and one forced fumble.

Off the field, Merriweather has taken a leadership role a as he has been involved in nearly 80 hours of leadership, community engagement and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programming within Student-Athlete Academic Services (SAAS) Hawkeye Life Program. Merriweather is also a leader in Student Services Multicultural Focus Group and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programming and was a participant in the B1G Life Series: Selma to Montgomery trip this past July, an immersive and educational experience at the center of the civil rights movement.

Iowa (6-4, 4-3) travels to Minnesota (7-3, 4-3) Saturday (3:05 p.m. CT, FOX) before hosting Nebraska (3 p.m. CT, BTN) on Friday, Nov. 25 to close the regular season. The Senior Day contest in Kinnick Stadium is sold out.