July 15, 2014
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -The WKU women's swimming and diving team was recently listed as one of the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-America Teams, as announced by the organization.
Sporting a 3.34 GPA, the Lady Toppers were one of 151 teams on the Division I list to earn the honor, as the award is presented to college and university swimming and diving teams who have achieved a team grade point average of 3.0 or higher. The award is presented twice annually, once in the fall semester and again in the spring to recognize teams achieving a 3.0 in the semester coinciding with the NCAA/NAIA/NJCAA/CCCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.
Along with the team award, three swimmers from the men's and women's teams at WKU were named to the CSCAA Honorable Mention Scholar All-America Award after achieving a GPA of 3.5 or higher for the semester, or cumulative average, and have achieved a "B" time standard but did not compete in their national championship.
Heitor Rodrigues represented WKU on the men's side while Claire Conlon and Nadine Laemmler were listed for the women.
Rodrigues just wrapped a stellar career at WKU, finishing his senior campaign as the Conference USA Men's Invitational champion in the 100 and 200 fly and leading WKU to its first league title. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Rodrigues set school records in both of those events while also lowering the league's meet record in the 100 fly, hitting the wall in 46.66. Rodrigues set school records this past season in the 200 medley and 400 medley relays while posting pool records with the 200 free relay in WKU's Bill Powell Natatorium and in the individual 100 fly in the Hilltoppers' win at Cincinnati.
One of WKU's best breaststrokers, Conlon finished her junior year as the C-USA champion in the 200 breast with a NCAA B-cut time of 2:11.42. That time along with her second-place finish of 1:00.83 in the 100 breast at the league meet put Conlon as the new school record holder in each of the events. The South Africa native closed out the year with 11 first-place times during the regular season and 15 top-two finishes overall. Conlon is also the Bill Powell Natatorium record holder in the 100 and 200 breast after lowering the time this fall at the Hilltopper Open.
Laemmler joined the WKU squad in the second half of the 2013-14 season, bringing an immediate impact with her, as she made three trips to the podium at the C-USA meet, including a first-place finish in the 100 back with a NCAA B-cut time of 53.68. Laemmler also hit B-times in the 200 back and 200 IM at the league meet, good for third place. Originally from Germany, Laemmler set two WKU records at the CSCAA Collegiate Classic in the 100 and 200 back. Laemmler was also named the C-USA Newcomer of the Year as voted on by league coaches at the end of the season.
Laemmler along with Conlon were both named to the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll earlier this year for achieving a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The Lady Toppers joined C-USA as an affiliate for the past season, coming in fourth at the league championship, before joining as a full-time member in July 2014.
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. For more information on CSCAA, visit CSCAA.org.
For all the latest news and information on WKU swimming and diving, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program on Twitter via @WKUSwimDive and @WKUDiving and by liking the team on Facebook through WKU Swimming and Diving.
