Ball State University Athletics
Women's Swim & Dive Earn Spring Scholar All-America
June 30, 2015 | Women's Swimming and Diving
MUNCIE, Ind. - The Ball State women's swim and dive team finished with the sixth best grade point average for the spring semester out of all Division I women's programs, as announced by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Tuesday morning. The Cardinals' team GPA was a 3.59, while diver Brittany Penn (Williamston, Mich./Williamston) earned Scholar All-America Honorable Mention for a 3.937 GPA.
The Spring Team Scholar All-America award is given to college and university swim and dive teams who have achieved a GPA of 3.0 or higher in the spring semester. Nearly 70% of all NCAA swimming and diving programs earned GPA's of 3.0 or higher during the spring semester including 83% of all Division I schools. It is the first time in the program's 30+ year history that more than 600 teams, representing 406 institutions, received the designation.
Eastern Illinois finished with 3.70 grade point average, followed by Arkansas with 3.67 and Evansville with 3.61. American and New Mexico turned in a 3.60 GPA, just in front of Ball State's sixth ranked finish with a 3.59 GPA. Yale, Northern Colorado and Purdue sat with the Cardinals at the 3.59 GPA mark, while Southern Illinois, Penn State and Northern Arizona rounded out the top-10 teams with a 3.58 GPA. The full list can be viewed here.
The Ball State women's swimming and diving program also earned the award for the fall 2014 semester for a team GPA of 3.58, which placed them the third highest GPA in the nation of all Division I programs.
Diver Penn was also awarded as a Scholar All-America Honorable Mention after competing in the NCAA Diving Zones and posting a GPA of 3.937 while studying accounting. Penn was one of just four divers from the Mid-American Conference to be honored.
"Brittany has always been an exemplary student and team member," Ball State diving coach Nick Gayes said. "It's great to see her success in the pool now matching her success in the classroom."
Overall, a record of 810 swimmers and divers were named to the Scholar All-America team, in addition to 1,078 recognized as Honorable Mention selections. Student-athletes were designated based on their performance in the classroom and the pool. In total, 284 institutions placed at least one swimmer or diver on either the First Team or Honorable Mention lists.
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" cut standard or competed at their respective qualifying meets. The full list can be found here.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State women's swimming and diving, follow @BallStateSports and @BallStateWSwim on Twitter.
