The 6-foot-4, 212-pound senior set a state record in the discus at the Class 4A state meet this past season, leading the Indians to a 10th-place finish as a team. Whalen broke the previous record by more than 7 feet, hurling the disc 204 feet, 9 inches, which ranked No. 5 nationally among prep competitors in 2022 at the time of his selection. An All-State selection in track, football and wrestling, he won the discus at the Drake Relays and finished eighth in the event at the Nike Outdoor Nationals.
Whalen has maintained a weighted 3.55 GPA in the classroom. He has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete on an athletic scholarship at the University of Iowa this fall.
The 2021-22 Indianola High Homecoming King, Whalen won an American Legion scholarship for outstanding character and leadership. He has served as an ambassador for the Indianola Community Youth Foundation and has volunteered locally as a middle-school mentor. Whalen also donated his time to multiple community service initiatives through his church.
