NORFOLK, Va. – The College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of American (CSCAA) has recognized both the Gustavus men’s and women’s swimming & diving teams as Scholar All-Americans. The awards are in recognition of teams and athletes that achieved a grade point average of 3.0 or higher during the 2017 Spring Semester. The Gustie men achieved a 3.24 team GPA during the spring semester, while the women posted a 3.33 GPA and saw four swimmers listed on the Scholar All-America team.
For the first time in the 95-year history of the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) more than 700 teams have received Scholar All-America recognition. In total, 720 teams, representing 443 institutions achieved a grade point average of 3.0 or higher during the Spring 2017 Semester. Founded in 1922, the CSCAA – the oldest organization of college coaches in America – is a professional organization of college swimming and diving coaches dedicated to serving and providing leadership for the advancement of the sport of swimming & diving at the collegiate level.
The CSCAA also selected a record 997 swimmers and divers for its Scholar All-America team. The selections recognize students that have achieved a grade point average of 3.50 or higher and have participated in their respective NCAA/NAIA/NJCAA Swimming and Diving Championships. In addition to the 997 first-team selections, 954 students were named as Honorable Mentioned selections. These students have similarly achieved a GPA of 3.50 and achieved a “B” time standard or competed at a regional or zone qualifying meet.
Gustavus women’s swimmers Kennedy Holwerda (Jr., Willmar, Minn.), Kate Reilly (Jr., Hastings, Minn.), and Maggie Webster (So., Apple Valley, Minn.) were selected as Scholar All-Americans while Linnea Rizzo (So., Woodury, Minn.) was honored as Scholar All-America honorable mention.
Holwerda, Reilly, and Webster each competed at the NCAA Championships March 15-18 in Shenandoah, Texas. Together they were apart of the Gustie 200 and 400 freestyle and medley relay squads and clocked a time of 1:35.25 in the 200-yard freestyle relay to earn an All-American Honorable Mention honor.
Reilly participated in the 50-yard freestyle, as well as the 100-yard breaststroke, 100-yard butterfly, and 100-yard freestyle while Webster also competed in the 50-yard freestyle.
Rizzo posted a NCAA “B” time standard at the MIAC Championships, finishing 4:34.51 in the 400-yard individual medley.