TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama swimming and diving men and women were both honored as Scholar All-America teams by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America it was announced this week.
“Academic excellence is a top priority for us and we believe that it goes hand in hand with excellence in the pool,” UA head coach Dennis Pursley said. “We are proud of the fact that our students have maintained their high academic standards while climbing the rankings in the pool.”
The Crimson Tide men and women both posted team grade point averages over 3.0 while 22 swimmers and divers earned Scholar All-America honors for the 2014-15 season.
Alabama’s women were one of just four teams that finished in the top 30 both at the NCAA Championships (29th) and by grade point average (16th). Of that number, only Purdue, which finished 30th, posted a better team GPA than the Crimson Tide’s 3.560.
The Crimson Tide men were also in good company as one of five teams that finished in the top 10 at the NCAA Championships and post a team grade point average better than 3.10. Of that number, only Stanford and Michigan posted a better team GPA than the Crimson Tide’s 3.13.
Individually, 10 Crimson Tide swimmers, five men and five women, earned First Team Scholar All-America honors while another 12 Alabama swimmers and divers – six men and six women – earned honorable-mention honors.
For the men, All-Americans Anton McKee, Connor Oslin and Luke Kaliszak along with Mathew Adams and Will Freeman earned First Team Scholar All-America while Brent Sagert, Dylan Marin, Hunter Smith, Jacob Kelsoe, Pavel Romanov and Taylor Charles earned honorable-mention accolades.
On the women’s side of the slate, All-American Kaylin Burchell along with Emma Saunders, Justine Panian, Mia Nonnenberg and Temarie Tomley earned first-team honors while Caroline Korst, Taylor Zablocki, Kara Fredlock, Kristel Vourna, Morgan Presley and Stephanie Klotz earned honorable-mention recognition.
To be selected to the CSCAA Scholar All-America Team, swimmers and divers must have achieved a grade point average of 3.50 or higher and have participated in their respective NCAA/NAIA/NJCAA Swimming and Diving Championships. Honorable Mention selections have similarly achieved a GPA of 3.50 and achieved a “B” time standard or competed at their respective qualifying meets.
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Swimming news courtesy of Alabama Swimming & Diving.