Coaches Name 2020 Scholar All-Americans
The College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) named 1,479 swimmers and divers to Scholar All-American Team for the 2019-20 season. The award recognizes students who achieved a grade point average of 3.50 or higher and were invited to compete at their respective national championship. Selections were drawn from 209 colleges and universities.
Emory University led the nation with thirty-four first-team selections, three more than Denison University. For the second-straight year, the Southeastern Conference led all conferences with 137 first-team selections, ten more than last season. The University Athletic Association, Atlantic Coast Conference, and B1G Conference each had 121 first-team selections.
Among women's teams, Denison University led the way with seventeen first-team selections followed by the University of Louisville and the University of Virginia with sixteen each. Queens University of Charlotte also tallied sixteen first-team selections to lead Division II while Cumberlands (15) and Indian River State College (12) led the NAIA and NJCAA respectively.
Emory University placed eighteen men on the first team to lead the standings, one more than the University of Texas. The University of Indianapolis’ fifteen selections were the most men in Division II. Among NAIA men’s programs, SCAD-Savannah, Keiser and Saint Ambrose set the pace with ten selections each. That was the same as Southwestern Oregon Community College which led all NJCAA men’s programs.
The award-winners studied a multitude of subjects ranging from A (Accounting) to Z (Zoology). Business majors accounted for just under 14% of all award-winners. They were followed by Engineering (all fields) and Biology at 9% each. Fully, one-third of all award-winners are pursuing a major in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) field.
In addition to 209 teams receiving first-team selections, 97 programs placed one swimmer or diver selected on the All-America Second Team roster. These student-athletes have similarly achieved a GPA of 3.50 and achieved a "B" time standard or competed at an NCAA Regional or Zone Diving qualifier. In total, 282 teams placed at least one individual on the First or Second teams.