By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University men's and women's swimming teams have been honored for their efforts in the classroom by receiving Scholar All-America status from the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) for the 2014-15 season. A total of 600 teams at 406 colleges and universities in the NCAA and the NAIA earned the award.

A 3.0 team grade point average during the spring semester in 2015 was required to be a CSCAA Scholar All-America Team. The Willamette men's team achieved a 3.13 GPA during the spring, while the Bearcat women's team recorded a 3.09 GPA.

This year's list of Scholar All-America Teams shows significant academic success throughout the NCAA. Nearly 70% of NCAA swimming teams qualified for the Scholar All-America honor. Teams registered GPAs at or above 3.0 in the spring despite competing in the championship portion of the season. In NCAA Division III, 152 women's teams and 99 men's teams were included on the list.

"I am very proud of both our men's and women's teams for making the spring CSCAA Scholar-Athlete Team list," Head Coach Leslie Shevlin said. "There is a great deal of mentoring going on within the team where academics is concerned. We have quite a few juniors and seniors tutoring freshmen throughout the year. This act of academic mentoring is another aspect of why the pride I feel for my Bearcat swimmers extends outside of the pool."

Leading the Willamette swim teams academically during the spring semester were Alika Masei (So., Salem, OR/West Salem HS) and Reuben White (Fr., Portland, OR/Westview HS) from the men's team, each with a 3.93 GPA, and Jessica Beach (Sr., Salem, OR/West Salem HS) from the women's team with a 3.96 GPA. Beach will be entering graduate school this fall to work on a master's degree in archaeology.

The CSCAA was founded in 1922. It is the oldest organization of college coaches in the United States.