The University of Evansville continues to expand its academic success, as three Purple Aces were selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District teams announced on Thursday. Tennis’
Kate Chybowski and swimming’s
Colin Gray were named first-team selections while swimming’s
Christina Schmidgall earned second-team honors.
As first-team members, Chybowski and Gray are now finalist for Academic All-America honors, which will be voted for on a national ballot beginning May 25. UE has produced 41 Academic All-Americans since 1972, including nine since 2003. The most recent is Mike Luttrull, chosen for the men’s soccer second team following the 2009 season.
Chybowski is a junior from Appleton, Wisconsin, with a 3.93 grade point average, majoring in Biology and minoring in Spanish. She was 27-6 at number one singles and 21-11 at number one doubles in 2009-10, and was chosen for the all-MVC Select Team for the second time. With similar numbers next year, Chybowski will break UE’s two most significant tennis records: most singles victories in a career, and most total victories (singles and doubles). Both records were set by UE Hall of Famer Karen Black in 1999. Accomplished on the cello, Chybowski played two years in the UE Student Symphony Orchestra, and still plays on Sundays during the school year at church services in UE's Neu Chapel.
Gray is a sophomore from Carmel, Indiana, and holds a 4.0 in mathematics. For the past two seasons, Gray held the team’s best individual time in the 200 breast while also holding the 100 breast’s top spot last year and third this season. He was named as an Academic All-MAC selection and helped the men’s team to a 3.0 GPA and selected to CSCAA Scholar-Athlete Team list. In the pool, Gray has had much success this season, including wins in the 200 breast and 200 medley relay and second in 200 IM against Miami (OH), and second in the 100 breast and third in the 200 breast at the IUPUI Invite.
Earning her second ESPN The Magazine Second Team All-District honor, Schmidgall has contained a 4.0 through her junior year as an athletic training major. The Golden Valley, Minnesota, native is a two-time MVC Scholar-Athlete honoree and was selected as MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week this season. Schmidgall and the women’s team ranked 10th in the CSCAA Scholar-Athlete list with 3.43 GPA last fall. Schmidgall holds the school record times in the 500, 1000 and 1650 freestyle from her best times last season while also holding the team's best times this season in the 200, 500, 1000 and 1650 freestyle. After the 2009-2010 season, Schmidgall posted eight first-place finishes in the regular season and tallied three ninth-place finishes at the State Farm MVC Championships.
