The Washington State University women’s swimming team received the Team Scholar All-America Award from the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) for their academic efforts earlier this month.

As a team, the Cougars attained a 3.38 GPA this past spring semester, which ranked second in the PAC-12 conference. The award is presented to collegiate swimming and diving teams that have achieved a team GPA of 3.0 or higher during a semester.

“It means a lot for our program,” Head Coach Tom Jager said. “We believe in a ‘sound-mind, sound body’ philosophy. They’re called ‘student-athletes’ for a reason, to get an education first and foremost.”

Jager, a former UCLA graduate, preaches a balance between time in the pool and time in the classroom. Jager and his coaching staff designate a day in the middle of each week for the swimmers to study and focus on academics specifically, he said.

In addition to the team award, five WSU swimmers received the CSCAA Honorable Mention Scholar All-America Award, presented to college and university swimmers who have earned a semester or cumulative 3.5 GPA or higher, achieved an NCAA “B” time standard, and did not compete in their championship meet.

The WSU swimmers who achieved the standards are spring 2014 graduates Emma Johansson and Kelly Tannhauser, senior Ali Mand, and juniors Presley Wetterstrom and Loree Olson.

Mand is a double major in English and digital technology and culture, and has always been greatly supported by her family when it comes to academics.

“They helped me understand the point of going to school,” Mand said. “I’ve always liked going to school and learning.”

Mand, a leader on this year’s team, believes that participating in college athletics has helped her with her academics. The rigorous schedule that comes with participating on the WSU swim team has helped develop her time management skills and her ability to work under intense time constraints, she said.

Olson, a kinesiology major, believes that the national academic recognition will boost the prestige of the WSU swimming program.

“It helps gets our name out there,” Olson said. “We’re a swim team that does the best we can in the pool, and we excel in the classroom as well.”

The WSU women’s swimming team sets the standard in order for all student-athletes to achieve academic success. The team hopes to continue their climb to the top of the PAC-12 conference in the pool and in the classroom this season.