CSCAA Unveils College Swimming All-Americans With Adjusted Criteria

The College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) selected its All-American teams for the 2019-20 season, with an unprecedented number of selections because of how the coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc on the winter championship season.

The CSCAA Board adjusted the selection criteria for each division because the coronavirus caused the cancellation of championship meets. The NCAA Division I and III meets were cancelled, while the NCAA Division II meet was cancelled after a day of competition, which factors into the selection process. The NAIA and NJCAA completed their meets before the pandemic.

The result was an unprecedented number of selections in what is largely acknowledged as unprecedented circumstances. Greg Earhart, Executive Director explained that the Board of Directors, sought to not penalize any student-athlete who had not had the opportunity to compete for a spot on the All-American team. “Our sport is replete with previously-unheralded swimmers and divers who have gone on not just to All-America honors, but also to national championships and Olympic Team spots,” Earhart said.

In the men’s CSCAA Division I All-American list, Michigan and Texas led with 23 selections each, while Louisville has 16, Indiana has 15, Cal has 14, Stanford has 14 and Florida has 14.

In the women’s CSCAA Division I list, Stanford had 19 selections, Virginia and Ohio State had 18 selections, while Cal, Michigan and Louisville each had 17 selections. Indiana had 16, NC State and Tennessee had 15, Kentucky, Texas A&M and USC had 14, Florida, Northwestern and Georgia each had 13.

READ THE FULL LIST FOR ALL DIVISIONS HERE

2020 Selection Criteria:

Division I – All Relays Achieving ‘A” Standards, individuals selected to the NCAA Championships, and divers entered in uncontested events from the Zone C Diving Qualification meet are named All-American
Division II – In contested events, the top eight finalists are named to the first team while the consolation finalists were named Honorable Mention. In events that were not contested, individual and relay qualifiers selected for the championship are named All-American
Division III – Individuals and relays selected to the NCAA Championship are named All-American.
NAIA – Individuals Finishing 1-8th and Relays Finishing 1-4th are named All-American. Relays finishing 5-8th are named Honorable Mention.
NJCAA – Individuals finishing 1-8th and relays finishing 1-4th are named All-American
All – Teams must be current CSCAA Members

This isn’t the first time the association adjusted All-America criteria. The first CSCAA All-America team was published in 1924, 13 years before the first men’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championship. The first women’s All-America team was published in 1975, seven years prior to the first NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship. During much of that time, the team was selected by a panel of coaches. In 1985, the honor was standardized around the NCAA Championships with the top eight finalists receiving first-team recognition and consolation finalists being named Honorable Mention.

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