Colorado Springs, CO | The College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association (CSCAA) has named the College of Staten Island men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams to its Scholar All-America team for the Spring 2019 Semester. A record 480 institutions were named to the list. CSI’s men’s team achieved a 3.09 GPA, while the women hit 3.00 even landing them on the list
CSCAA Executive Director Greg Earhart noted: “Coach Ackalitis shows that students can combine success in the pool and the classroom.” For the CSI women, the spring semester marks their seventh appearance on the list in the last eight semesters. The CSI men made good on their appearance in the fall, and have made the spring semester GPA cut for the fourth-straight year overall.
“Having our teams receive the team Scholar All-America award shows how hard-working both the men’s and women’s swim team are,” said Head Coach Michael Ackalitis. “Their hard work in the classroom relates to their success and hard work in the pool. It is one of our team goals in the beginning of each season to earn this award and keep each teams grade point average above a 3.0. It is a team effort and I could not be more proud.”
A record number of teams achieved Scholar All-America status in each NCAA Division with men’s teams seeing the biggest gains. The increase can be attributed to the growing number of men’s teams. “For three years now, we’ve seen schools add more men’s teams than women’s,” explained Earhart, “and now we’re seeing those new teams produce the caliber of student-athlete we’ve come to expect in swimming and diving.”
At 3.45, the median GPA among women’s teams was the highest on record. The men’s median (3.23) was down slightly from the Fall semester.
In Division III pair of academic stalwarts topped the list of 134 men’s and 185 women’s teams. Macalester’s women (3.79) edged out MIAC rival Saint Catherine’s (3.76). Macalester head coach Kyllian Griffin enthused, “We pride ourselves for challenging our students to be the absolute best they can be in the classroom, the pool and in the community and are proud of their successes in all aspects of their collegiate life.” Among men’s teams, MIT once again led the way (3.76), just ahead of the Macalester men. The Liberty League, placed the most teams (nine men, none women) onto the honor roll. University Athletic Association and NESCAC followed with sixteen teams each with the UAA achieving 100% recognition.
Founded in 1922, the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) – the first 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.
A full list of Scholar All-America institutions across all NCAA Divisions, click HERE.
