Elizabeth Hughes Named Academic All-American
6/10/2010 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
June 10, 2010
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama senior diver Elizabeth Hughes has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American Women's At-Large Team, earning third-team honors it was announced Thursday.
"What a great way for Elizabeth to cap off a tremendous career," UA head coach Eric McIlquham said. "She enjoyed an awesome career both academically and athletically and has certainly added her name to Alabama's championship legacy in both areas."
The Maryville, Tenn., native was joined on the At-Large Team by UA gymnast Kassi Price who earned first-team honors. The Academic All-American At-Large program includes a first, second and third team, each made up of 15 NCAA Division I student-athletes drawn from 13 women's sports including bowling, rowing, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming and diving, tennis and water polo.
Hughes is the seventh member of UA swimming and diving program to earn Academic All-American honors and the sixth since McIlquham became head coach in 2004. All together, Tide swimmers and divers have earned nine At-Large honors, including eight over the last six years.
"We're very proud to have earned this honor so many times," McIlquham said. "Because it encompasses so many different sports and so many student-athletes, it's a tough one to get. To have earned it eight times in six years says a lot about the dedication and drive this program has to be the best in the pool and the classroom."
The 2009 Southeastern Conference Platform Champion, Hughes posted a 4.0 grade point average at Alabama majoring in psychology with a sociology minor. A two-time CSCAA Honorable Mention Scholar All-American, Hughes is also a four-year member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
A four-year SEC finalist, Hughes earned the 2010 Coaches Award and the 2009 Debra Hobart Perseverance, Determination and Spirit Award.
Since 2000, Alabama student-athletes have earned Academic All-American honors 54 times, including 24 first-team honors. Hughes and Price push Alabama's 2009-10 season total to six, including football's Colin Peek and Barrett Jones, softball's Charlotte Morgan and tennis' Saketh Myneni. Price, Peek and Morgan were all named first team, while Jones was named to the second team. Myneni joins Hughes on the third team.
Players Mentioned
