March 29, 2005

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) has announced its Academic All-American teams for fall 2004, and the Missouri swimming and diving teams have earned recognition among the nation's elite for their efforts in the classroom.

The Tiger men finished fourth in the nation during the fall period with a 3.25 team grade point average. Mizzou trailed only Yale (3.40), Dartmouth (3.34) and Brigham Young (3.32), and were the lone men's representative from the Big 12 conference in the field of 52.

"This group of guys really took it as a team goal to do well in the classroom," Missouri head coach Brian Hoffer said. "We didn't talk about being Academic All-American, it just kind of happened, and it shows their commitment. I'm extremely pleased and excited, and a little shocked, that we made fourth in the nation."

Mizzou's women also proved to be among the top teams in the nation academically, placing 17th out of 67 teams recognized. The Tigers teamed with rival Kansas to earn the only two selections given to Big 12 teams.

"The women had it a little tougher because they had more competition to face as far as Division I women's programs go, but I'm extremely pleased that they finished in the top-20," Hoffer said. " A top-20 finish is phenomenal and it shows the hard work they've all put in."

These selections continue a pattern of academic excellence for the Mizzou swimming and diving program. The women earned a selection for fall 2003 with a 3.08 GPA, and the men made the cut by turning in a 2.93.

"We haven't missed being Academic All-America in a long time, maybe 10 years," Hoffer said. "We want to do everything right behind the scenes so that when the kids hang up their goggles or stop diving, they'll have something to fall back on."