Women’s swimming and diving team earns national academic honor, Jaffee, Lingbeek, Meisner earn Academic All-American awards

The Olivet College women’s swimming and diving team has been named to the 2004-05 College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Academic All-American team. In addition, Brian Jaffee (Bowling Green, Ohio), Jill Lingbeek (Plainwell) and Dustin Meisner (Temperance/Erie Mason) have earned the CSCAA Individual Academic All-American Award.

The team had a 3.58 grade point average (GPA) for the entire 2004-05 academic year. The GPA was the third highest among all NCAA Division III men’s and women’s programs. Macalester (Minn.) College and Washington and Lee (Va.) University tied for first with a 3.59 GPA.

To earn the Individual Academic All-American Award, an individual must have 3.50 or above GPA for the year and achieve a NCAA championships qualifying cut. Jaffee finished the year with a 3.85 GPA and recorded a NCAA championships provisional qualifying time in the 1,650-yard freestyle. Lingbeek had a 3.52 GPA and competed in three events (100- and 200-yard butterfly and 100-yard backstroke) at the NCAA championships. Meisner swam in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke at the NCAA championships and was one of seven Division III men’s swimmers who had a perfect 4.0 GPA.