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IOWA CITY, Iowa — Twelve University of Iowa swimmers and divers were named College Swimming and Diving Association (CSCAA) honorable mention Scholar All-Americans, it was announced Wednesday by the CSCAA.
Iowa’s honorees included seniors Colter Allen, Chris Dawson, Jo Jekel, Meghan Lavelle, Morgan Rafferty, and Mekenna Scheitlin, juniors Kelly McNamara, Kenneth Mende, and Jacintha Thomas, and freshmen Kelsey Drake, Jonatan Posligua, and Sarah Schemmel.
To earn honorable mention Scholar All-America distinction, honorees must post a grade point average of 3.50 or higher and achieve an NCAA “B” time standard or compete at a regional or zone qualifying meet.
It is the third time Thomas has earned honorable mention CSCAA Scholar All-America honors, and it is the second career honor for Allen, Lavelle, McNamara, Mende, and Rafferty.
Allen swam NCAA “B” qualifying times in the 100 (47.07) and 200 (1:47.79) butterfly events at the 2018 Big Ten Championships, while Dawson shared Iowa’s MVP honors after posting “B” times and career-bests in the 500 free (4:20.42), 1,650 free (15:07.35), and 400 IM (3:46.80) at the Big Ten Championships.
Mende also shared the MVP accolade after earning a bronze medal in the 200 back (1:42.12) at the Big Ten Championships. He swam to “B” standards in the 100 back (46.79), 200 back, and 200 IM (1:47.67). Posligua dove to an NCAA Zone Standard off the 3-meter (320.20) in his first season as a Hawkeye.
Jekel swam to a “B” qualifying standard in the 100 back (54.41); Lavelle swam to standards in a school-record time in the 100 back (53.36) and had a qualifying time in the 200 back (1:57.22), while Rafferty dove to NCAA standards off the 1-meter (288.70) and 3-meter (308.35).
Scheitlin posted qualifying times in the 50 free (22.77) and 100 fly (54.20), McNamara had a “B” time in the 100 fly (53.75), and Thomas dove to standard scores off the 1-meter (307.60) and 3-meter (304.00). Drake led the team and had “B” times in the 100 fly (53.66), 200 fly (1:59.45), and 200 IM (2:01.12), while Schemmel had a “B” time in the 100 fly (53.36).
Collectively, the Iowa women’s team was named a CSCAA Scholar All-America team for posting a 3.40 team grade point average.
