Eight All-Conference Performers Headline Swimming and Diving All-Academic Team

ACADEMICS

Boston University's Kendra Cheng is one of five Terriers on the women's swimming and diving all-academic

Eight All-Conference Performers Headline Swimming and Diving All-Academic Team

Updated: March 14, 2012 3:03 pm (ET)
by America East Communications

Swimming and Diving All-Academic Team (PDF)

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The America East Conference announced the 2012 Swimming and Diving All-Academic Teams Wednesday afternoon. Twenty student-athletes, nine men and 11 women, representing the best of the conference academically and athletically, earned all-academic status.

The men’s all-academic team is headlined by three all-conference performers including the gold medalist in both the one and three-meter diving events at the conference championship, UMBC junior Andrew Eckhoff (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford). Boston University sophomore Jared Scheck (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy), the silver medalist in both diving events, makes his first appearance on the all-academic squad. Likewise, UMBC senior John Mendenhall (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East) is an all-academic honoree for the first time. Mendenhall won the conference title in the 200 breaststroke back in February.

Several repeat selections also earned all-academic distinction. Eckhoff made the team for the second straight season, as did Binghamton junior Justin Mattison (Horseheads, N.Y./Horseheads). Bearcat senior Dan Feeley (Rye, N.Y./Rye) receieves the honor for the third time.

A quartet of sophomore swimmers round out the men’s sqaud. Maine’s Robbie Bickford (Milford, Maine/Old Town ) and Cody LaChance (Winslow, Maine/Winslow) join Boston U.’s Wesley Pate (Duluth, Ga./Greater Atlanta Christian) and James Sundquist (East Aurora, N.Y./East Aurora).

On the women’s side, five all-conference performers from Boston U. highlight the 11-member all-academic team. Seniors Amanda Schmitz (Pleasanton, Calif./Foothill), the 2012 conference champion in the 200 fly, and Kristen Connors (Mansfield, Mass./Bishop Feehan), who appears on her third all-academic team, juniors Kara Zebrowski (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) and Katie Radin (Hanover, Mass./Notre Dame Academy), the 200 backstroke champion, and sophomore Kendra Cheng (Franklin, Mass./Bishop Feehan) raced to all-conference honors this season.

Connors and Schmitz both earned all-academic nods last season and are joined this year by two more repeat selections. UMBC junior Tara Morrissette (Somersworth, N.H./Saint Thomas Aquinas) and Vermont senior Kaitlyn Evarts (Vergennes, Vt./Vergennes) each make their second appearance on the all-academic team.

Completing the 2012 team are first-time honorees Binghamton senior Jenna Easton (Churchville, N.Y./Churchville-Chili), Maine junior Carmen Linden (Ottawa, Ontario/Sir Robert Borden) and Vermont juniors Chelsea Krisanda (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) and Kailey Gardner (Ithaca, N.Y./Ithaca).

The All-Academic squads are a product of the June 2005 Athletics Directors meeting where faculty representatives and athletics directors from each of the conference’s nine member institutions decided to honor the league’s top student-athletes, who excel equally in the classroom as they do on the playing field.

For the fourth straight year, America East will select the All-Academic teams using CoSIDA’s Academic All-America program as a model. Student-athletes worthy of consideration are nominated by member sports information directors and voted on by a committee of SIDs, academic advisors and faculty representatives from all nine member institutions.

All-Academic squads for team sports are based on the number of athletes that participate in a contest at one time or are made up of 10 student-athletes for individual sports. To be nominated for the distinction, student-athletes must be a starter or important reserve for their team and participate in at least 50 percent of their team’s games or competitions. In the classroom, student-athletes must have a 3.30 GPA and have completed at least one calendar year at their institution. Freshmen are not eligible for consideration.

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