A Diplomat athlete’s reach extends beyond their impact on scoreboards and win-loss records. 

Kennedy Wilburn ’25 is a prime example. Wilburn recently was named one of two Centennial Conference nominees for the NCAA's prestigious Woman of the Year Award. Now in its 35th year, the Woman of the Year award recognizes graduating female college athletes for excellence in academics, athletics, community service, and leadership.

A forward and team captain for the F&M women's basketball team, Wilburn was widely known for creating a positive impact on campus and in the Lancaster community.

Wilburn was a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honoree (2023 and 2024). As a student, Wilburn was a psychology and public health major with a minor in Africana Studies. She served on the Student-Athlete Leadership Council; mentored first-year students in the African Americans in Paris course; served as a teaching assistant and mentor for a Design & Statistics class; was a public relations officer for S.I.S.T.E.R.S., a female empowerment group; and volunteered as a peer health educator, teaching fellow students about topics such as bystander intervention, consent, healthy relationships, and sexual assault awareness.

Off campus, Wilburn volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club of Lancaster, tutored math and read to children at local elementary schools, and served as a partner runner for Girls on the Run, a nonprofit that combines exercise and mentorship to ensure that “every girl can know and activate their limitless potential.”

Wilburn is now pursuing a master’s degree in public health at the University of Pennsylvania.

Of course, Wilburn excelled on the basketball court, too. She earned All-Centennial Honorable Mention in 2024-25, averaging 12.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per contest. The Marlton, N.J., resident ranked third in the conference in rebounding and seventh in points while logging 28.2 minutes per game.

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Kennedy Wilburn ’25 Leads on and off the Court

Kennedy Wilburn ’25 wanted a college where she could excel on the basketball court and in the classroom. She found that and more at F&M, where she became women’s basketball co-captain, a member of the Student-Athlete Leadership Council, and an active participant in other student organizations on campus.

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