Swimming Garners Post Season Accolades

After their outstanding third place finish at the 2015 NAIA Swimming and Diving National Championships on March 5-7 in Oklahoma City, Okla., the Brenau swim team garnered more postseason awards as the NAIA released All-American honors on Monday.

All-American honors are awarded to swimmers to top-three finishers in each individual event and the top-three finishing relay teams.

Brenau had seven swimmers receive All-American honors for the third-ranked Golden Tigers. National Champion Oklahoma Baptist led the list with 10 honorees.

Michelle Billeaud (SR/Lafayette, La.) earned honors in the 100-yard breaststroke, 100-yard butterfly and both the 200 and 400-yard medley relay teams.

Courtney Hayward (SO/Townsville, AUS) received three individual honors-1650 yard freestyle, the 400-yard individual medley and the 500-yard freestyle- as well as team honors in the 400-yard medley relay and the 800-yard freestyle relay.

Alisha Hodgetts (FR/Perth, AUS) captured honors in the 100-yard butterfly, the 200, 400 and 800-yard freestyle relays.

Mary Katherine Jabbia (JR/Slidell, La.) received honors in the 200-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard medley relay, while Ella Kleinschmidt (FR/Hervey Bay, Queensland AUS) and Shelby Rumker (SR/Douglas, Ga.) each were part of the 800-yard freestyle relay team.

Rumker also received NAIA Daktonics Scholar-Athletes for outstanding academic performance. Honorees must earn a minimum 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale and must achieve junior status.

Talia Sola also garnered All-American status in the 100 and 200-yard backstroke and both the 200 and 400-yard medley relays.

"This is a proud moment for Brenau, having seven swimmers named NAIA All-Americans, for their incredible efforts at nationals," said head coach Blaire Bachman. "Each of our women deserve the recognition and will be able to claim this for years to come."

Brenau's third place finish at the national meet and in the final NAIA poll marks the highest finish in team history.