Eight Gamecocks Earn CSCAA Scholar All-America Honors

RICHMOND, Va. — Eight members of the South Carolina swimming and diving program were recently named Scholar All-Americans by the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) for the 2020-21 season. The annual award recognizes student-athletes with a GPA of 3.50 or higher and a B-cut standard time for the NCAA Championship.
 
On the women’s side, sophomore Janie Smith (exercise science), an NCAA qualifier and the school record holder in the 100 free, earned first team honors. Junior Mari Kraus (public health), sophomore Riley Parker (accounting) and sophomore Taylor Steele (experimental psychology) were named to the second team (honorable mention).
 
On the men’s side, junior Luke Massey (hospitality and recreation management), senior Tamas Novoszath (finance), senior AJ Ross (civil engineering) and junior Jordan Yip Zhu Ern (finance) were also named to the second team.
 
To qualify for CSCAA First Team Scholar All-America honors, student-athletes must have earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher and participated in their respective national championship meet. Second team selections have also earned a 3.50 GPA or higher and achieved a B-cut time standard for the national championship or participated at a diving zone qualification meet. Due to the cancellation of the Division III and NAIA Championship, the CSCAA established time standards for qualification based on a standard deviation of previous national championship participation. All criteria can be found on the CSCAA website.
 
The Gamecocks were also recognized as a CSCAA Scholar All-America Team this season, marking the 12^th-straight semester the men’s and women’s teams accomplished the feat. 
 
Founded in 1922, the CSCAA is the nation’s first organization of college coaches. The mission of the CSCAA is to advance the sport of swimming and diving with coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy, and professional development.
 
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