March 13, 2025
The University of Chicago's swim and dive teams have been honored with the coveted Scholar All-American award by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA). This award recognizes teams that excel both in the pool and the classroom, requiring individual students to maintain a GPA of 3.5 or higher. The fact that the swim and dive teams have won this award year after year is a testament to the University of Chicago's athletes' strong work ethic and dedication.
Talking to head coach Jason Weber about the significance of this award, he explains that “to be a student-athlete, especially on our team, which is a training sport, it's pretty tough mentally and physically. I'm super impressed with them, and it means a lot to them to be recognized for what they achieve in the pool and in the classroom.”
Balancing their rigorous academic and athletic responsibilities is no small feat for student-athletes, and for teams to train all together, it often requires early morning practices to avoid conflicting with students’ classes and lab schedules.
Karen Zhao, a senior team captain for the women's swim team, shared her thoughts on the recognition: “Receiving the Scholar All-American award proves how much everyone's hard work has paid off. It just shows how amazing these people are and how talented, intelligent, diligent, and dedicated they are.”
When asked about the most rewarding aspect of being a student-athlete, Karen said, “It provides you with a family from the very first moment you step on campus to the moment that you leave and beyond. We bond through hardships and achievements.”
This team camaraderie is a contributing factor to their success and ability to balance competing demands. As Karen explains, “You learn throughout the four years that you have your teammates' support. If you need notes and can't attend a class, you can always trust someone to get them for you.”
What makes UChicago athletes' accomplishments especially inspiring is that they’re driven purely by the love of the sport. As Coach Weber notes, “I really like coaching this type of student-athlete. They’re not here because they're getting a scholarship for athletics. They're not here because it's Division One. They’re here because they love the sport, and they want to make academics the top priority too.”
The teams are coming off several victories at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships, winning eight events and breaking five UAA records.
You can learn more about the University of Chicago’s swim and dive team here.