Red Flash Swim Team Named Academic All-American Team

LORETTO, Pa. (Feb. 5, 2009) - The Saint Francis swim team was named a Division I Academic All-American team by the College Swimming Coaches Association of American, as announced on Wednesday.   

The Red Flash compiled a team GPA of 3.40 for the fall 2008 semester, good enough for 14th in the country.   Marshall University had the nation’s best GPA of 3.64.   Saint Francis was the only team in the Northeast Conference to qualify.

This is the second consecutive semester the team has received the award, which has become somewhat of a Red Flash tradition over the last several years.

“While it is no surprise to be named an Academic All-American team, I am immensely proud,” said head coach Pat Gallagher.  “We pride ourselves in recruiting character student-athletes to our program.  Our swimmers are successful both in the pool and the classroom, and I couldn’t be happier.”

Kaitlin MacDonald (Olney, Md./Holy Cross) and Cara Morgan (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) were honored by the SFU Athletic Department for each having a 4.0 GPA.  Elyse Dobrick (Zelienople, Pa./Seneca Valley), Jessica Dunn (Bristow, Va./Seton School), Abigale May (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler Area) and Chloe Pierre (Valencia, Pa./Mars) were also named to the Athletic Department Honor Roll.  A total of 17 swimmers were named to the SFU Honor Roll.