Classroom Champion Robert Howard
10/15/2018 10:51:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
An All-American and Academic All-American, the Alexander City, Ala., native and his Crimson Tide teammates will face Texas A&M Saturday at 10 a.m.
Growing up in Alexander City, Ala., senior swimmer Robert Howard couldn't help but be aware of the tradition of excellence that surrounds Alabama athletics. Armed with that knowledge, it didn't take the Crimson Tide speedster long at all to add to that legacy after coming to Alabama as a freshman in the fall of 2015.
He has earned All-America honors in each of his first three seasons at Alabama. Last year, in addition to winning a U.S. Open title, he became the second-fastest man in UA history in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyles and led the Tide to its fifth-consecutive top-15 NCAA Championships finish.
As in tune as he was to Alabama's athletic standard of excellence, Howard was just as aware of the Tide's prowess in the classroom even before he arrived at the Capstone.
"I remember watching football games growing up and hearing them talk about Greg McElroy and Barrett Jones being Academic All-Americans and what a big honor that was," Howard said.
And just like his work in the pool, it didn't take Howard long to add to the Crimson Tide's tradition in the classroom. Last spring the accounting major, who carries a 4.0 grade point average, earned CoSIDA First Team Academic All-America At-Large honors.
"With the tradition we have on our team the past four or five years, it's incredible to put my name on that list," Howard said. "It's a huge honor for sure."
Howard is now part of an incredible run for the UA men's swimming and diving team over the past four years, with six swimmers earning 12 Academic All-America honors. That total is nearly double what any other school has put on the men's at-large team over that span for all sports combined.
The level of excellence that Alabama swimming and diving has maintained over the last five years – both athletically and academically – has been built on striving to be the best every day in every facet of the collegiate experience.
"It's just understood that everything in this part of our lives is to this high standard," Howard said. "It's kind of a perfect storm on the men's team. We all kind of just want to do the best we can in everything we do."
Players Mentioned
