Alabama swimmer Laurent Bams was named as the Google Cloud Division I Men’s At-Large Academic All-American of the Year, leading 15 men’s swimmers and divers among 47 first, second and third team honorees.
Seven men, including Bams, were tabbed as first teamers, while four earned second team acclaim and four were named to the third team.
Bams and Alabama teammate Robert Howard were repeat first team selections. North Carolina State’s Andreas Vazaios garnered second team honors for the second straight year.
Joining Bams and Howard on the first team were Kentucky’s Bowen Anderson, Missouri’s Daniel Hein, LSU’s Alarii Levreault-Lopez, Navy’s Zach Piedt and Michigan State’s Scott Piper.
Bams, Hein, Howard, Piper, Levrault-Lopez (4.04), second teamers Grant House (Arizona State), Wyatt Rumrill (South Dakota State) and Shane Vyskocil (Bryant) and third teamers Coley Sullivan (Brown) and Eric Knowles (N.C. State) were among 27 men with perfect 4.00 or higher GPAs.
Bams finished 12th in the 100 breast and was part of Alabama’s NCAA champion 200 medley relay and ninth place 400 medley relay and 400 free relay teams at the NCAA Championships.
Howard, the 2019 SEC Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year, finished third in the 50 free, fifth in the 100 free and 19th in the 200 free and was a member of the title winning 200 free relay and 200 medley relay, and ninth place 400 medley relay and 400 free relay teams at the NCAA Championships. He also was the SEC champion in the 50 free and 100 free and as part of Alabama’s SEC champion 200 medley relay, 200 free relay and 400 free relay teams.
Hein finished 19th in the 200 back and 22nd in the 100 back and was a member of Mizzou’s seventh place 400 medley relay and 15th place 200 medley relay at the NCAA Championships.
Piedt was a first team All-Patriot League selection after posting runnerup finishes in the 100 fly and 100 free and a third place effort in the 50 free at the conference championships.
Piper set the MSU school record in the 200 IM (1:46.42) and 200 fly (1:42.73)at the Big Ten Championships.
On the women’s side, 11 swimmers and divers were honored across the three Academic All-America teams.
Kentucky’s Asia Seidt and LSU’s Kate Zimmer were tabbed for first team honors, with Seidt moving up from the third team a year ago. Seven swimmers and divers made the second team, including 2018 first team selection Ella Eastin from Stanford and 2018 second teamer Alicia Finnigan from Liberty. Two more swimmers rounded out the third team.
Seidt, Zimmer (4.06), second teamers Courtney Aycock (Michigan State), Finnigan, Lindsay Helferich (Nebraska) and Mikaela Lujan (South Carolina) and third teamer Ayla Bonniwell (Florida State) among 32 women with 4.00 or higher GPAs.
Seidt, a three-time SEC champion in the 200 backstroke, finished third in the event at the NCAA Championships as well as fifth in the 200 IM and 100 back. She also was part of UK’s 10th place 800 free relay, 15th place 400 medley relay and 15th place 400 free relay teams at the NCAAs.
Eastin was the national champion in the 400 IM and runnerup in the 200 IM and 200 fly at the NCAA Championships. She also was part of the NCAA champion 800 free relay, third place 400 free relay and sixth place 400 medley relay.
Google Cloud Academic All-America Division I At-Large Teams
MEN’S TEAM
FIRST TEAM | |||||
Sport | Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
Swimming | Bowen Anderson | University of Kentucky | Sr. | 3.98 | Biology (Pre-Med) |
Swimming | Laurent Bams | University of Alabama | Gr. | 4.00/4.00 | Economics |
Golf | James Beckner | Middle Tennessee State University | Sr. | 4 | Biological Sciences / Pre-Dentistry |
Tennis | Nuno Borges | Mississippi State University | Sr. | 3.89 | Kinesiology |
Gymnastics | Jacopo Gliozzi | College of William & Mary | Sr. | 4 | Physics |
Lacrosse | Phil Goss | Brown University | Jr. | 4 | Economics / Political Science |
Swimming | Daniel Hein | University of Missouri | Jr. | 4 | Mechanical Engineering |
Swimming | Robert Howard | University of Alabama | Sr. | 4 | Accounting |
Swimming | Alarii Levreault-Lopez | Louisiana State University | Sr. | 4.04 | Petroleum Engineering |
Wrestling | Rico Montoya | University of Northern Colorado | Sr. | 4 | Sports Administration |
Swimming | Zach Piedt | U.S. Naval Academy | Sr. | 3.98 | Computer Science |
Swimming | Scott Piper | Michigan State University | Jr. | 4 | Biosystems Engineering |
Gymnastics | Noah Roberson | Pennsylvania State University | Sr. | 4 | Biomedical Engineering & Biomechanics |
Gymnastics | Brian Schibler | University of Oklahoma | Sr. | 4 | Chemical Biosciences / Spanish |
Gymnastics | Anton Stephenson | University of Nebraska | Sr. | 3.97 | Nutrition & Health Sciences |
Tennis | Dustin Werner | Campbell University | Sr. | 4 | Economics / Business Administration |
SECOND TEAM | |||||
Sport | Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
Tennis | Jimmy Bendeck | Baylor University | Sr. | 3.91 | Finance, Entrepreneurship & Corporate Innovation |
Wrestling | Cameron Caffey | Michigan State University | So. | 4 | Computer Engineering |
Gymnastics | Christian Correale | U.S. Naval Academy | Sr. | 3.96 | Applied Mathematics |
Fencing | Eli Dershwitz | Harvard University | Sr. | 3.48 | History |
Tennis | Lucas Grego | Grand Canyon University | Sr. | 4 | MBA / Sports Business |
Ice Hockey | Kyle Haak | U.S. Air Force Academy | Sr. | 3.9 | Physics |
Swimming | Grant House | Arizona State University | So. | 4 | Exercise & Wellness |
Wrestling | Joey McKenna | Ohio State University | Sr. | 3.89 | Operations Management |
Tennis | Jannik Opitz | Western Michigan University | Jr. | 4 | Finance |
Swimming | Wyatt Rumrill | South Dakota State University | Sr. | 4 | Human Biology |
Tennis | Bailey Showers | Georgia State University | Jr. | 4.02 | Risk Management & Insurance |
Tennis | Ben Stride | UMKC | Gr. | 4.00/4.00 | Environmental & Urban Geosciences |
Ice Hockey | John Teets | University of Alabama in Huntsville | Sr. | 4 | Finance |
Swimming | Andreas Vazaios | North Carolina State University | Sr. | 3.79 | Psychology |
Swimming | Shane Vyskocil | Bryant University | Sr. | 4 | Politics & Law |
THIRD TEAM | |||||
Sport | Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
Tennis | Enrique Asmar | New Mexico State University | Sr. | 3.97 | Civil Engineering |
Ice Hockey | Adam Brubacher | RIT | Jr. | 4 | Business Marketing |
Swimming | Andrew Capobianco | Indiana University | So. | 3.95 | Exercise Science |
Water Polo | Andrea De Nardi | University of the Pacific | Jr. | 4 | Engineering Management |
Swimming | Dean Farris | Harvard University | Jr. | 3.59 | History & Science |
Lacrosse | Conor Gaffney | Lehigh University | Jr. | 3.99 | Mechanical Engineering / Finance |
Ice Hockey | Edwin Hookenson | Minnesota State University, Mankato | Jr. | 4 | Finance & Accounting |
Volleyball | Miki Jauhiainen | Brigham Young University | Jr. | 4 | Computer Science |
Gymnastics | Justin Karstadt | University of Minnesota | Sr. | 3.78 | Kinesiology |
Swimming | Eric Knowles | North Carolina State University | So. | 4 | Materials Science / Engineering |
Rifle | David Koenders | West Virginia University | Jr. | 4 | Psych. Sport & Exercise / Psych. Human Services |
Tennis | Sameer Kumar | Stanford University | Sr. | 3.92 | Economics |
Tennis | Kailash Panchapakesan | University of Illinois at Chicago | Jr. | 4 | Biological Sciences |
Swimming | Coley Sullivan | Brown University | Jr. | 4 | Applied Mathematics / Economics |
Volleyball | Stijn van Tilburg | University of Hawai’i | Sr. | 3.79 | Economics |
Lacrosse | Matthew Vangalen | University of Detroit Mercy | Sr. | 3.96 | Accounting & Finance |
Google Cloud Academic All-America® of the Year: Laurent Bams, University of Alabama
WOMEN’S TEAM
FIRST TEAM | |||||
Sport | Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
Tennis | Emily Arbuthnott | Stanford University | Jr. | 4.14 | Economics |
Tennis | Sofia Blanco | Oklahoma State University | Sr. | 4 | Psychology |
Tennis | Andie Daniell | University of Alabama | Sr. | 4 | Human Performance Exercise Science |
Crew | Paige Danielson | Washington State University | Sr. | 4 | Electrical Engineering |
Water Polo | Makenzie Fischer | Stanford University | Jr. | 4.03 | Mechanical Engineering |
Golf | Lois Kaye Go | University of South Carolina | Jr. | 4 | Finance / Accounting |
Skiing | Katharine Irwin (1) | University of New Mexico | Sr. | 4.12 | Biology |
Gymnastics | Kelsy Kurfirst | Cornell University | Sr. | 4 | Mechanical Engineering |
Golf | Hanley Long | Middle Tennessee State University | Sr. | 4 | Organizational Communications |
Skiing | Julie Mohagen | University of Utah | Sr. | 4 | Finance |
Lacrosse | Anne Richter | U.S. Naval Academy | Sr. | 4 | Mechanical Engineering |
Golf | Petra Salko | University of Oregon | Sr. | 4.05 | Business Administration / Finance |
Swimming | Asia Seidt | University of Kentucky | Jr. | 4 | Kinesiology |
Golf | Albane Valenzuela | Stanford University | Jr. | 4.03 | Political Science |
Swimming | Kate Zimmer | Louisiana State University | Sr. | 4.06 | Nutrition & Food Sciences |
SECOND TEAM | |||||
Sport | Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
Swimming | Courtney Aycock | Michigan State University | Sr. | 4 | Kinesiology |
Swimming | Ella Eastin | Stanford University | Sr. | 3.74 | Human Biology |
Crew | Raien Emery | University of Alabama | Gr. | 4.00/4.00 | Environmental Science (U) / Geography (G) |
Swimming | Alicia Finnigan | Liberty University | Sr. | 4 | Interdisciplinary Studies |
Swimming | Lindsay Helferich | University of Nebraska | Sr. | 4 | Civil Engineering |
Swimming | Mikaela Lujan | University of South Carolina | Sr. | 4 | Biological Sciences |
Swimming | Chantal Nack | University of Minnesota | Sr. | 3.67 | Civil Engineering |
Swimming | Annie Ochitwa | University of Missouri | Gr. | 3.97/4.00 | History (U) / Journalism (G) |
Bowling | Kristin Quah | Vanderbilt University | Sr. | 3.97 | Biomedical and Electrical Engineering |
Tennis | Abigail Rosiello | West Virginia University | Sr. | 4 | Immunology & Medical Microbiology |
Ice Hockey | Nicole Schammel | University of Minnesota | Gr. | 3.95/3.63 | Business & Marketing (U) / Sport Management (G) |
Gymnastics | Maggie Tamburro | North Carolina State University | Sr. | 4 | Biomedical Engineering |
Crew | Amy Tarczynski | Brown University | Sr. | 4 | Economics |
Golf | Lauren Tibbets | Butler University | Sr. | 4 | Actuarial Science |
Lacrosse | Zoe Verni | Brown University | Sr. | 4 | Economics / International Relations |
THIRD TEAM | |||||
Sport | Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
Swimming | Hunter Aitchison | Duke University | Sr. | 3.85 | Neuroscience |
Crew | Aiste Balciunaite | University of Massachusetts | Sr. | 3.99 | Biochemistry & Molecular Bio / Chem. Engineering |
Golf | Jacqueline Bendrick | Furman University | Gr. | 3.98/3.90 | Biology / Education |
Swimming | Ayla Bonniwell | Florida State University | Jr. | 4 | Finance |
Golf | Virginia Elena Carta | Duke University | Sr. | 3.91 | Environmental Sciences and Policy |
Golf | Ashley Childers | Missouri State University | Sr. | 4 | Logistics & Supply Chain Management |
Tennis | Marina Cozac | University of Nebraska | Sr. | 4 | Mathematics |
Gymnastics | Alex Hyland | University of Kentucky | Sr. | 3.94 | Kinesiology |
Gymnastics | Abby Kaufman | West Virginia University | Jr. | 4 | Exercise Physiology / Med. Humanities / Health Studies |
Gymnastics | Anne Kuhm | Arizona State University | Sr. | 4 | Liberal Studies |
Tennis | Vivienne Kulicke | SMU | Sr. | 4 | Business Management & Spanish |
Gymnastics | Shannon McNatt | University of Utah | Sr. | 3.99 | Quantitative Analysis of Markets & Organizations |
Field Hockey | Kelsey Nolan | Ohio State University | Sr. | 4 | Linguistics / TESOL Education |
Lacrosse | Hailey Wagner | Marist College | Sr. | 3.98 | Biomedical Sciences |
Tennis | Malini Wijesinghe | Bradley University | Sr. | 3.99 | Biochemistry / Spanish / Philosophy |
Google Cloud Academic All-America® of the Year: Makenzie Fischer, Stanford University
I’m going to be honest here, a 4.0 GPA at a place like Bama is less impressive than a 3.8 at any Ivy League school. These things should be contextualized.
So should swimming fast?
If the college admissions scandal has proven anything, its that the hardest part about those schools is getting in lol
On the men’s side, I count 7 out of the top 16 (first team) as swimmers, and 16 out of the top 48 as swimmers/water polo. We all know what it takes to be a collegiate swimmer, all the hours of training, missing classes and exams for meets home and away, the lack of sleep, classes, studying etc., so congrats to all who are on this list.
“Exercise & Wellness” ?
Sounds intense.
How could you not make the title “Bama’s Bams….”?