NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State women's swimming and diving team was tied for 14th among Division I programs in terms of grade-point average (GPA) this fall, turning in a team mark of 3.51 to earn recognition as a 2014 College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Fall Scholar All-American Team, the CSCAA announced Tuesday.
The Redbirds were one of 143 Division I squads to earn the honor. Clemson and Eastern Illinois led the way, as both teams posted 3.59 team GPAs. Team Scholar All-America honors are presented to college and university swimming and diving teams achieving a team GPA of 3.0 or higher. The award is presented twice annually, once in the fall semester and again in the spring semester.
"The coaching staff and I are extremely proud of the swimmers' and divers' tremendous accomplishment of earning a 3.51 fall semester GPA," head coach Steve Paska said. "The team had an outstanding semester in the classroom and in the pool and we will strive to continue that success this spring.
"The coaching staff would like to thank the Karin L. Bone Athletic Study Center staff and the athletic academic advisors for their continuing and endless support of the team's motivation for excellence in the classroom."
Leading the way for the Redbird swimming and diving team this fall were 10 student-athletes who earned perfect 4.0 GPAs. They included: Katie Breger, Erica Halley, Valerie Jones, Maggie Kopp, Laura Paskoff, Rachel Root, Kelly Sanks, Molly Schatz, Samantha Schuckles and Kristin Verkler.
Root was honored over the weekend as the MVC's Elite 18 Award winner, recognizing the student-athlete with the highest GPA competing at a Valley championship.
The Redbirds' record team GPA of 3.61 was set during the Spring 2013 semester.
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