By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University women's swimming and men's swimming teams have received Scholar All-America honors from the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) for their successful efforts in the classroom during the 2022 fall semester. Both of Willamette's teams received the honor for the 17th consecutive semester.

The Scholar All-America award went to programs that earned team grade point averages of 3.0 or higher during the semester. The Bearcat men's team achieved a 3.59 combined GPA during the fall, while the Willamette women's team completed the semester with a 3.46 combined GPA.

"It's an honor to be recognized by the CSCAA for the hard work that our student-athletes put into the classroom," Willamette Head Swimming Coach Brent Summers commented. "Congratulations to the men's team for having their highest GPA ever and to the women's team for another strong showing. The commitment and decimation to success in the classroom and pool is integral to our culture and I'm grateful to be able to coach student-athletes who embody the ethos of D3 -- being a student and an athlete."

Overall, 803 teams from 479 colleges and universities in NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, the NAIA, and the NJCAA qualified for Scholar All-America status this past fall. The teams, who were selected based on their team grade points averages, represent a total of 19,426 student-athletes.

Willamette is a member of the Northwest Conference and the Bearcats compete in NCAA Division III. During the 2022 fall semester, a total of 184 women's teams and 141 men's teams in NCAA Division III earned Scholar All-America honors. Eight NWC women's teams and seven NWC men's teams qualified for Scholar All-America recognition.