May 11, 2017

For second straight year, Smith named Academic All-District by CoSIDA

AUSTIN, Texas – For the second consecutive year, Carson-Newman swimmer Nancy Claire Smith (Franklin, Tenn.) has been selected as a member of the CoSIDA Academic All-District At-Large team, it was announced Thursday afternoon.

AUSTIN, Texas – For the second consecutive year, Carson-Newman swimmer Nancy Claire Smith (Franklin, Tenn.) has been selected as a member of the CoSIDA Academic All-District At-Large team, it was announced Thursday afternoon.

"This is a cherry top for Nancy Claire," said coach Jordan Taylor. "For her to continue to get recognized is great because she's had such an outstanding work ethic for the last four years, both in the pool and in the classroom. She's had an impressive career as one of the first swimmers we've had spend four years with this team. The incoming freshman are going to have a lot live up to."

During a season in which the senior earned Honorable Mention All-American honors as part of C-N's women's 800 free relay team, she also put together a 4.00 GPA while double majoring in Biochemistry and Religion.

The Tennessee native collected four victories as a senior and also helped her club to a victory in the 400 medley relay against King (Tenn.). At the Bluegrass Mountain Conference Championships, she was named all-conference in the 800 free relay.

For Smith, this is another honor in a star-studded career on the C-N swim team. She finished this season as one of six seniors who were the first four year members of Mossy Creek's swim program, which began in 2013. She was named an All-American in 2016 with the 800 free relay squad and picked up honorable mention status in the 200 free relay. She also became the first student-athlete in Carson-Newman history to receive the NCAA's Elite 90 Award, which she was given at 2016 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships. The accolade goes to the participant at the championship site with the highest GPA.

In the at-large program, District III includes schools affiliated with the South Atlantic Conference, the Conference Carolinas and the Peach Belt Conference. Smith will advance to the national ballot for the opportunity to make one of the three Academic All-America teams. The at-large team includes athletes who participate in swimming, golf, lacrosse, ice hockey, tennis, bowling, field hockey, rifle, gymnastics and water polo.

NCAA DIVISION II (Conference Carolinas, Peach Belt, South Atlantic)

FIRST TEAM

Sport Name School Yr. Hometown GPA Major

Swimming Vika Arkhipova WINGATE Sr. Seversk, Russia 3.92 Marketing

Tennis Rebecca Bruning ANDERSON (SC) Sr. Athens, Ga. 4.00 Biochemistry

Tennis Franziska Funke TUSCULUM Jr. Bochum, Germany 3.99 Psychology

Golf Mikaela Hadaway WINGATE Sr. Kettering, Ohio 4.00 Psychology

Golf Eleonor Skoog LIMESTONE So. Molnlycke, Sweden 4.00 Sport management

Swimming Nancy Claire Smith CARSON-NEWMAN Sr. Franklin, Tenn. 4.00 Biochemistry / religion

Swimming McKenzie Stevens QUEENS (NC) Jr. Salisbury, N.C. 3.94 Exercise & sport science

Tennis Andrea Ternera WINGATE Sr. Bogota, Colombia 4.00 Management

Tennis Gabriela van Ooststroom LIMESTONE Sr. Oisterwijk, Netherlands 4.00 P.E. / strength & conditioning