Swimmers garner 17 SEC Academic honors

FAYETTEVILLE – The University of Arkansas had 30 student-athletes recognized on the 2009 Southeastern Conference Winter Academic Honor Roll the league office announced this week.

The Razorback swimming and diving team led the way with 17 selections followed by seven for gymnastics. Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams had three honorees each.

Consistently strong academically, the Razorback swimming and diving squad also led all Razorback teams with eight 4.0 grade-point averages for the 2008 fall semester.

It was a banner year for Arkansas swimming and diving in the pool as well as out, as the team posted a program-best 10 dual wins and finished fifth at the SEC Championships, the highest finish in the program’s history. While at SECs, junior Yi-Ting Siow won the 200 breast title, becoming the first Razorback swimmer to earn an individual title at SECs since Nicola Atkinson won the 1,500 free and 200 meter fly titles in 1992.

Success continued for the Razorbacks at NCAAs where Katie Kastes (200 fly, 400 IM), Siow (200 breast), Leah Pierce (200 breast) and Jamie Marks (1650 free) earned All-America honors. The four All-America nods are the most for the program in a single season.

A total of 373 student-athletes were recognized this week by the SEC office. Alabama topped the list with 48 student-athletes followed by Kentucky with 45 and Florida with 44.

This semester’s selection is based on grades from the 2008 spring, summer and fall semesters. The be eligible for selection, a student-athlete must have a grade point average of 3.00 or better for the preceding academic year or as a cumulative. Any student-athlete who is a sophomore or older is eligible for the award and summer classes count toward the cumulative total. Student-athletes must have completed 24 semester or 36 quarter hours towards a degree and he or she must have been a member of the varsity team for the sport’s entire NCAA Championship season.

All four sports have completed their 2008-09 seasons. The SEC will release the spring academic honor roll celebrating the accomplishments of men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, softball and baseball in early summer.

For more information about Arkansas athletics, please log on to ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

2009 Southeastern Conference Winter Academic Honor Roll