Two Clemson Swimmers Named to GTE Academic All-America Team

April 20, 1999

CLEMSON, SC – Two members of the Clemson swimming team have been named to the 1999 GTE Academic All-America University Division Fall/Winter At-Large team.

Will York, a senior from Tallahassee, FL, has been selected a first team Academic All-American. He has a 3.97 GPA and will graduate next month with a degree in mechanical engineering. During his career at Clemson, he competed in the distance freestyle events and the backstroke. York led Clemson this season in the 500 free (4:35.62) and was second in the 200 back (1:51.16). His time in the 200 back was the ninth-best in the ACC. York ranked third on the Clemson team in the 1000 back with a time of 9:42.54.

Last summer he finished fourth overall and led all U.S. swimmers at the United States Swimming 10K Open Water National Championships and was chosen a 1998 U.S. Swimming All-American in the 10K. He placed second in the 15K Open Water National Championships in Newport Beach, CA, in July with a time of 3:22:40.95, also earning All-America honors in the 15K. York trained as part of the U.S. National Open Water Camp at the Olympic Training Center in San Diego, CA.

Jennifer Mihalik, a junior from Clemson, S.C., was named to the Academic All-America second team. She carries a 3.89 GPA and will graduate in May after earning her degree in microbiology in three years. Mihalik led the team this season in the 100 free, 100 back and 200 back. She won the 100 back (55.48) and 200 back (1:57.97) at the ACC Championships, setting new ACC and Clemson records in both events.

Mihalik, an All-American honorable mention last season in the 200 backstroke, just missed earning All-American honorable mention honors again this season in the event. She placed 17th overall at the national meet with a time of 1:59.30. She was 20th in the 100 back at the NCAA Championships, posting a time of 55.84, and swam a lifetime-best 23.26 in the 50 free to place 31st at the meet. She won the 100 back (55.48) and 200 back (1:57.97) at the ACC Championships, setting new ACC and Clemson records in both events.

Both Mihalik and York were among the 16 ACC athletes chosen to receive the Weaver-James-Corrigan Scholar-Athlete Awards, given annually by the ACC to the top student-athletes in the league. They were both members of the GTE Academic All-District III University team. District III and the University Division consists of Division I colleges and Universities in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

College sports information directors from district schools nominate student-athletes and vote on the team. All nominees must be a at least a sophomore in academic and athletic standing and carry a cumulative 3.2 GPA of higher.