By Brandon Chinn, Athletics Communications Writer

SALEM, ORE. -- After finishing the 2012-13 academic school year with a 3.24 team cumulative grade point average, the Willamette University women's swimming team has been rewarded with a Team Scholar All-America Award by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA).

The Team Scholar All-America Award is presented to college and university swimming and diving teams, who have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Connecticut College ranked first on the women's team list of Scholar All-America honorees, finishing the academic year with a cumulative 3.66 GPA.

For the Willamette women's swimming team, this academic award comes the very same year in which the team broke the school record in the women's 400 medley relay race with a time of 4:05.65 at the Northwest Conference Swimming Championships.

"It shows that the team is able to balance our increasing success in the pool with a continued commitment to academics," Head Coach Leslie Shevlin said. "The women were able to manage their time in the fall and stay committed to the classroom in the spring and I know that it was a complete team effort."

The team also saw two individual school records set by Annette Marinello (Fr., Corvallis, OR/Philomath HS), who broke both the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke events.

Founded in 1922, the College Swimming Coaches Association of America is the oldest professional organization of college coaches in America. The CSCAA is dedicated to serving and providing leadership for the advancement of the sport of swimming and diving at the collegiate level.