UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; May 16, 2006 ¨C Swimmer Sarah Haupt (Carlisle, Pa.) has been named the 41st student-athlete at Penn State to be a recipient of a prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. Haupt becomes the third member of the Nittany Lion women¡¯s swimming and diving program to receive the honor, joining Deirdre Dlugonski (2005) and Bobbi Millard (1982).

The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Committee awarded Haupt with a $7,500 grant for a part-time or full-time postgraduate study at the university or professional school of her choice. She graduated in May with a baccalaureate degree in psychology and a superlative grade point average over 3.6.

Haupt is a nine-time Big Ten Champion, five-time Big Ten record holder and three-time All-American. A four time Academic All-American and Academic All-Big Ten selection, she was recently selected as a recipient of Penn State¡¯s 2006 Ernest B. McCoy Memorial Award. The award is presented annually to one senior female and male student-athlete who has combined successful athletic participation with academic excellence.

This past year, she helped lead the Penn State women¡¯s swimming and diving team to its second consecutive Big Ten Championship, earning her fourth first team All-Big Ten honor after capturing the top spot in the 100 backstroke. In addition, Haupt made her fourth appearance at the NCAA Women¡¯s Swimming and Diving Championships, capturing 14th in the 100 backstroke and 13th in the 400 medley relay.

To qualify for an NCAA postgraduate scholarship, a student-athlete must have an overall grade-point average of 3.200 (on a 4.000 scale) or its equivalent, and must have performed with distinction as a member of the varsity team in the sport in which the student-athlete was nominated. The student-athlete must have behaved, both on and off the field, in a manner that has brought credit to the student-athlete, the institution and Intercollegiate Athletics. The student-athlete almost must intend to pursue academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree as a full-time or part-time graduate student.

In the fall, the NCAA awarded 58 postgraduate scholarships of $7,500 each to 29 male student-athletes and 29 female student-athletes. In addition to the fall sport honorees, the NCAA also awards 118 postgraduate scholarships to student-athletes participating in winter and spring sports in which the NCAA conducts championships or participates in as an emerging sport, for a total of 174 postgraduate scholarships annually.