Swimming & Diving Excels Academically in 2002-03
7/10/2003 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
July 10, 2003
HOUSTON - Besides a Top 20 finish at the 2003 NCAA Championships, the University of Houston swimming and diving program also excelled academically during the 2002-03 year.
With a 3.25 team grade point average, the Cougars ranked 33rd by the College Swimming Coaches of America and were honored as a 2003 Academic All-America Team. Among all swimming and diving programs at any level of NCAA and NAIA competition, the Cougars ranked 103rd nationally with that GPA.
After the 2002-03 fall semester, the team earned an excellent rating with the 57th highest GPA nationally.
The team's academic work became even better during the spring semester, jumping from 3.09 to a 3.25 team GPA and receiving a superior rating, the highest ranking possible.
Individually, diver Yulia Pakhalina, who swept both the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard national championships, ranked 23rd with a 3.84 GPA, while fellow diver Azul Almazan placed 69th nationally with a 3.53 GPA.
Pakhalina also received the Conference USA Swimming & Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. That honor is presented to the top student-athlete in each conference-sponsored sport and is based on academic achievement, athletics accomplishments and service.
However, Pakhalina was not the only Cougar to be honored for her academic endeavors during the most recent school year. Stacey Williams additionally was honored with the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal, awarded to student-athletes who maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or better.
Nine Cougar student-athletes were named to the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll. That group included Azul Almazan, Tatjana Banjeglav, Jessica Blake, Lindsay Harvey, Elissa Nelson, Pakhalina, Laura Starr, Lucile Turpin and Williams.
Student-athletes named to the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and participate in a conference-sponsored sport.
Players Mentioned
