Wingate University Swimmers Earn Academic All-America At-Large Honors From CoSIDA

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Three Wingate University swimming student-athletes have been named to the 2015 Capital One Academic All-America at-large teams, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Senior Issam Zeraidi (Brussels, Belgium) is a men’s at-large first team selection, while sophomore teammate Lucas Cuadros (Cali, Colombia) is a second team choice. On the women’s side, senior Jasmine Arzadon (Lorton, Va.) is a women’s at-large third team pick (complete CoSIDA release).

In May, the Bulldog trio was named to the Capital One Academic All-District III teams. The Capital One Academic All-America program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2014-15 D-II Academic All-America teams program.

“All three of these student-athletes possess the same characteristics of excellence: they are hard-working, organized and coachable,” Wingate head men’s and women’s swimming coach Kirk Sanocki says. “They have a plan each year and execute the plan as well as anyone. In addition, they enjoy having fun in the pursuit of academic and athletic excellence and not at its expense.”

Issam Zeraidi

In the pool, Zeraidi is a four-year All-American for the Bulldogs. In 2015, he was All-American in two relays as Wingate finished 12th in the NCAA national championship meet. The Bulldogs were second in the 2015 Bluegrass Mountain Conference meet as Zeraidi was All-BMC performer seven times. Academically, Zeraidi has a 3.76 GPA with a Finance major. He graduated with honors at Wingate’s May Commencement Exercises.

Wingate won three BMC league titles during his career. In 2014, Zeraidi claimed seven All-BMC awards as the Bulldogs completed a run of seven consecutive league titles. He was a two-time All-American as Wingate claimed eighth at the 2014 NCAA meet. In 2013, Zeraidi was named All-American three times as the Bulldogs earned a sixth-place NCAA finish. In the 2013 BMC meet, Zeraidi was a member of the victorious 400 and 800 Freestyle Relay quartets as the ‘Dogs won the second of three conference titles during his career.

Lucas Cuadros

Cuadros received All-American laurels in the 400 Freestyle Relay as Wingate finished 12th at the 2015 NCAA Division II meet. The Bulldogs earned a second-place Bluegrass Mountain Conference placement as Cuadros was named All-BMC two times. In the classroom, Cuadros has a 3.94 GPA with a Marketing major and an Entrepreneurship minor.

Wingate won the 2014 Bluegrass Mountain Conference meet in Cuadros’ first season with the Bulldogs. The 2015 season marked his first appearance at the NCAA national championship meet. Cuadros is the only sophomore student-athlete on the 2015 Capital One Academic All-America men’s at-large second team.

Jasmine Arzadon

Arzadon contributed an All-American swim in the 200 Medley Relay to Wingate’s school-record third-place performance in the 2015 NCAA Division II national championship meet. She received All-BMC distinction two times as the Bulldogs finished second in the league meet. Academically, Arzadon has a 3.66 GPA with her Biology major. She graduated with honors at Wingate’s May Commencement Exercises.

This year, Arzadon was a member of Wingate’s BMC champion 200 Medley Relay team. She was an All-BMC performer in the 100 Butterfly. The three-time NCAA qualifier is a two-time All-American in the 200 Medley Relay, as she was honored in 2013 and 2015. Arzadon has helped Wingate win two Bluegrass Mountain Conference championships (2013, 2014) during her career. Wingate finished second in the BMC during her freshman and her senior seasons (2012, 2015).

Zeraidi, Cuadros and Arzadon give Wingate swimming 20 Capital One Academic All-America at-large team members lifetime. Only Wayne State (Mich.) had more swimming student-athletes on this year’s at-large teams. The WSU Warriors placed three women and one man on the 2015 AAA honor squads.

The Capital One Academic All-America Division II Men’s At-Large program includes the sports of fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming and diving, tennis, water polo and wrestling. The Capital One Academic All-America Division II Women’s At-Large program includes the sports of bowling, crew, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming and diving, tennis and water polo.

To be eligible for Academic All-America consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his or her current institution and be nominated by his or her sports information director.

Since the program’s inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 20,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports. For more information about the Academic All-America Teams program, please visit www.cosida.com.

 

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World. To reach our audience, contact us at newsmaster@swimmingworld.com.

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