Swimming & Diving | 1/29/2020 4:56:00 PM

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) has selected a record 762 programs from 480 institutions to the Scholar All-America Team for the Fall 2019 semester. Teams were selected based on their Fall 2019 grade point averages and represent 17,685 student-athletes. St. Catherine University earned the top grade-point average for the fall term compiling a remarkable 3.77 team GPA. 

For the second season in a row, the Wildcats lead all Division III programs and edged out six other Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) women's programs with Carleton College second in the conference with a 3.55 fall team GPA. To go along with leading all women's programs in Division III, St. Catherine ranks higher than all men's programs as well this year. 

In each season head coach Justin Zook has led the charge, St. Catherine has achieved the honor the Scholar All-America Team award, continuing a tradition that the program has built of earning the prestigious honor. Coach Zook said, "I first want to thank the CSCAA for being an organization that emphasizes recognition for both team and individual awards in the pool and on the board. Highlighting the overall team grade point average allows the team to embrace each student-athletes strengths in the classroom.." 

The award is given out in both the fall and spring semesters with St. Catherine also holding down the top spot last spring as well. "Over the last seven semesters, these student-athletes have prioritized keeping things simple and in return have seen their team GPA continue to remain in the top 10 within Division III. I want to emphasize how proud I am of every student-athlete in our program who attends every single class, participates in those classes, and most of all asks for help when they need it. I think those very objective expectations continue to prove as a solid foundation for what the student-athletes continue building here at St. Kate's. As our roster has continued to grow and our pool performances have become highlighted more often, I am proud our student-athletes continue keeping their priorities in line with our team goals and their own goals. If we all continue keeping the controllable pieces in mind, I think this group of student-athletes is only in store for more excellence in the future....again!"

To qualify as a Scholar All-America Team, teams must achieve at least a 3.0 grade-point average for the 2019 fall semester. 

Founded in 1922, the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA), is the nation's first organization of college coaches. The mission of the CSCAA is to advance the sport of swimming and diving with coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy, and professional development.

For more information on the Scholar All-America and see a list of award recipients from all divisions, click here.