UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (July 2, 2004) - The College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) recently honored the Penn State men's and women's swimming and diving teams with its All-American Team Award and the CSCAA also recognized 14 Nittany Lion swimmers as either Academic All-Americans or Honorable Mention Academic All-Americans.

Both Penn State squads were recognized as being academically superior as the women's team recorded a spring 2004 Grade-Point Average (GPA) of 3.30 and the men had a spring 2004 GPA of 3.26. Teams must have a GPA of 2.80 or better on a 4.0 scale for the semester with 2.80-2.99 being commendable, 3.00-3.24 being excellent and 3.25 and above being superior.

It marked the 14th straight year that the Penn State women received the award and the 15th time overall. The men received the award for the 13th time in the past 14 seasons and for the 14th time overall.

In addition to the team awards, seven swimmers were recognized as Academic All-Americans and seven garnered Honorable Mention Academic All-America status.

Senior Sally Anderson (Somerset, N.J.), junior Deirdre Dlugonski (Washington, Pa.), sophomore Sarah Haupt (Carlisle, Pa.), senior Maggie O'Brien (Minnetonka, Minn.), freshman Megan Palera (Santa Maria, Calif.) and sophomore Lisa Silvestri (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.) all picked up Academic All-America awards for the women. Senior Todd Minnier (Avon Lake, Ohio) received the same award for the men's team.

To qualify for Academic All-America, student-athletes had to qualify for the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships and have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better or have a GPA of 3.5 or better in the current semester/quarter or have a 3.5 GPA or better for the current school year. Student-athletes also must be academically eligible under NCAA rules and must have completed at least the equivalent of 12 semester hours per term enrolled at the current institution.

Seven Nittany Lions also picked up Honorable Mention Academic All-America status with outstanding seasons in the pool and in the classroom. Junior Jennifer Eberst (Clifton Park, N.Y.), freshman Claire Hawley (Barnstable, Mass.), junior Larissa Kavchok (Emmaus, Pa.), junior Corey Pagnotta (Westport, Conn.), junior Lauren Semchyshen (New Fairfield, Conn.) and junior Sara Shepherd (Nazareth, Pa.) paced the women, while sophomore Mike Alderman (Arlington, Pa.) was honored for the men.

Honorable Mention Academic All-Americans must have achieved a "B" Time Standard for the NCAA Championships and they must have met the same GPA requirements as an Academic All-American to qualify for honorable mention status.

Anderson qualified with a 3.50 GPA in journalism for the spring 2004 semester. She qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 200-meter freestyle, 500 freestyle and 1650 freestyle.

Dlugonski registered a 4.0 GPA for the spring 2004 semester in Kinesiology to become a three-time Academic All-American. She helped Penn State's 200 and 400 medley relay teams to 5th- and 4th-place finishes, respectively, at the NCAA Championships.

Haupt tallied a 3.58 GPA in Psychology for the spring 2004 semester to garner her second Academic All-America award. She had a stellar showing at the NCAA Championships, where she finished third in the 100 backstroke, fifth in the 200 medley relay and fourth in the 400 medley relay.

O'Brien had a 3.70 GPA in Kinesiolgoy/Women's Studies for the spring 2004 semester. The senior diver qualified for the NCAA Championships on the 1- and 3-meter diving boards.

Palera had a cumulative GPA of 3.91 during her freshman year in Journalism. She qualified for the NCAAs in the 500 freestyle, 1650 freestyle and 400 IM.

Silvestri has a 3.53 GPA in Communications at Penn State. She also qualified on the 1- and 3-meter diving boards.

Minnier recorded a 3.87 GPA in Information Sciences & Technology during the spring semester. He qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 200 freestyle.

Eberst recorded a GPA of 3.75 in Graphic Design/Advertising for the 2003-04 school year and was an NCAA Provisional Qualifier in the 100 backstroke and 200 freestyle relay to qualify for honorable mention status.

Hawley had a 3.69 GPA in Business during the spring 2004 semester and recorded a "B" time in the 400 IM and 1650 freestyle.

Kavchok has a 3.66 GPA in Secondary Education-Math during her career at Penn State and hit a "B" time standard in the 100 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay.

Pagnotta tallied a 3.59 GPA in Advertising in the spring semester and was an NCAA Provisional Qualifier on the 1- and 3-meter boards.

Semchyshen had a 3.55 GPA during the 2003-04 academic year in Supply Chain & Information Systems. She was an NCAA Provisional Qualifier in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.

Shepherd had a 3.81 GPA during the 2003-04 school year in Recreation & Parks Management. She hit a "B" time standard in the 200 backstroke.

Alderman achieved a 3.59 GPA during the 2003-04 school year in Business and he was an NCAA Provisional Qualifier on the 1- and 3-meter boards.