Kansas Swimming and Diving Honored for Academic Success
LAWRENCE, Kansas – Eleven Kansas swimmers and divers earned Academic All-Big 12 recognition from the league office and the Jayhawks earned their 25th-consecutive Scholar All-America Team honor from the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) as both organizations announced honorees Tuesday.
Hannah Angell, Laura Bilsborrow, Bryce Hinde, Lindsay Manning, Deanna Marks, Amanda Maser, Pia Pavlic, Leah Pfitzer, Gretchen Pocisk and Sammie Schurig were all named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team, and reigning Big 12 Championship Swimmer of the Meet Chelsie Miller was named to the Second Team. Furthermore, the CSCAA released its Scholar All-America teams for the fall semester, including Kansas and its 3.37 grade point average (GPA).
“Each season, one of our top goals is academic success,” Kansas head coach Clark Campbell said. “Whether it’s with conference or national awards, it really reflects how our student-athletes, along with the assistance of our academic advisor Laura Jacobsen, really step up to meeting the challenge. Our CSCAA Scholar All-America team honor is our 25th semester in a row, so I’m very proud of our team for that accomplishment.”
A total of 106 swimming and diving student-athletes were recognized from around the league, including 74 on the women’s teams. All-Big 12 First Team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA while the second team selections hold a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.
To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of their team’s scheduled contests. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation are also eligible.
For KU’s Marks, last year’s Big 12 Conference Women’s Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year, it was the third selection to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team. Bilsborrow and Hinde earned their second career Academic All-Big 12 First Team appearances, while the other selections were in their first year of eligibility as sophomores. Miller was a 2014 Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection, in addition to this year’s recognition.
“All of our Big 12 honorees, really work hard each and every semester,” Campbell said. “It’s really nice to be recognized for their efforts this season. It’s a tremendous honor and really what college athletics is all about – succeeding at the highest level in the pool and in the classroom, and we’re definitely doing a really good job of that. I can’t thank our academic staff, Laura (Jacobsen) and Paul Buskirk and his entire staff, enough for assisting our student-athletes.”
The announcements come the day before the Jayhawks are set to begin competition at the 2015 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championship. Kansas earned its highest finish and championship meet point total a season ago, while finishing second behind Texas. The meet at the Longhorns’ Jamail Swimming Center begins at 6 p.m., Wednesday (Feb. 25) and continues through Saturday. The meet will be shown, on tape delay, on the Fox Sports family of regional networks.
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