Alabama Athletics Total Double Digit CoSIDA Academic All-Americans for Unprecedented Sixth Year in a Row
8/15/2019 9:02:00 AM | Football, General, Softball, Rowing, Soccer, Women's Tennis, Swimming & Diving, Track & Field, Cross Country
A total of 10 Crimson Tide student-athletes earned Academic All-America honors during the 2018-19 academic year, marking the sixth year in a row Alabama has reached double digits in terms of the prestigious honor
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama Athletics once again stands among the national leaders in Academic All-America honors as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), totaling 10 during the 2018-19 academic year.
"Our drive to achieve excellence in all areas of collegiate athletics is evident in the success that University of Alabama student-athletes have earned when it comes to the CoSIDA Academic All-American program," UA Director of Athletics Greg Byrne said. "These honors recognize the hard work, determination, discipline and achievement of our student-athletes as well as the support and encouragement provided by our coaches, faculty and staff."
The Crimson Tide's total also makes Alabama the only school to earn double-digit honors the last six years in a row. With this year's tally, Alabama has earned Academic All-America honors a Division I-best 98 times since the 2009-10 academic year and 66 times over the past six. The Tide's six-year total is five better than second-place Stanford over that span.
"To lead the nation over the past decade and to be the only school to post double digit totals each of the last six years speaks to a sustained level of academic excellence that is really impressive," Byrne said. "We're very proud of the continued effort by everyone involved that made this happen."
The CoSIDA Academic All-America program includes men's and women's soccer, basketball and track and field/cross country as well as football, women's volleyball, baseball and softball. There is also the men's and women's at-large teams, which spans 14 women's and 12 men's sports.
Swimmers Laurent Bams and Robert Howard along with tennis player Andie Daniell and rower Raien Emery all earned a place on the at-large teams. In the fall, Emma Welch earned a spot on the soccer list while Keaton Anderson earned the recognition for football. In the spring, Bailey Hemphill and Kaylee Tow earned the honor in softball and Connor Ferrentino and Daija Lampkin rounded out the Tide's total when they earned places on the track and field/cross country team.
It was the second Academic All-America honor for Bams, Daniell, Hemphill, Howard and Welch, and the first for the remaining five. In addition to earning Academic All-America, Bams and Hemphill were named the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for the at-large and softball programs, respectively.
Overall, Alabama leads the Southeastern Conference with a total of 180 Academic All-American honors and is ranked fifth among NCAA Division I schools. The Tide is ranked first among Division I schools since 2009-10 with 98 and second since 2000 with 144.
Other Alabama CoSIDA Academic All-America highlights
- With swimmer Laurent Bams and softball's Bailey Hemphill being named the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for the men's at-large and softball teams, respectively, Alabama student-athletes have now earned Academic All-American of the Year honors 12 times in the last 12 years and 13 times overall.
- Bams earned the Tide's third Men's At-Large Teams Academic All-American of the Year recognition in the past four years, following back-to-back honors by Anton McKee (2016 & 2017).
- Hemphill, a junior, earned Alabama's third Softball Academic All-American of the Year in the past five years, following back-to-back honors by Haylie McCleney (2015 & 2016).
- The Alabama men's swimming and diving program has been particularly prolific in terms of Academic All-America honors over the past five years, with six swimmers earning 14 honors. That total is nearly double what any other school has put on the at-large team over that span for all sports combined.
- Alabama softball players have earned 26 Academic All-America awards over the Tide's 23-year softball history, including at least one award winner every year since 2008.
- Welch is the seventh UA soccer player to earn Academic All-America, with her honor becoming the Tide's ninth in program history.
- Ferrentino's and Lampkin's honors mark the 10th year in a row that at least one member of the track & field/cross country program has earned Academic All-American recognition. Overall, 13 members of the program have earned Academic All-America recognition 20 times.
- In addition to the Tide's 10 Academic All-Americans, six additional UA student-athletes earned Academic All-District recognition:Â Reagan Dykes (softball), Hale Hentges (football), Herbert Jones (men's basketball), Nealy Martin (soccer), Alex Plavin (soccer) and Jedrick Wills Jr. (football).
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