Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG, Va. - Virginia Tech swimmer Jessica Botzum was placed for the second time on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Women's At-Large Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The two-time ACC Swimmer of the Year earned second-team honors after receiving third-team accolades in 2007.
The second-team selection is the highest ever by a Tech swimmer as Kristina Neptun (1998) and Gregg Doulé (2000) were both named to the third team. The following sports are eligible for the at-large teams - bowling, crew, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming, tennis and water polo.
Botzum leaves Blacksburg as the most decorated swimmer in program history for her effort, not only in the pool, but also in the classroom. Now a two-time Academic All-American and recipient of an ACC postgraduate scholarship, she earned All-America status three times in the 200-yard breaststroke (2005, 2007-08) and twice in the 100 breaststroke (2007-08) while earning All-America honorable mention status once in the 200 breaststroke (2006), the 200 medley relay (2008) and the 400 medley relay (2008).
At the conference level, Botzum dominated the competition as she won a total of five ACC titles (two 200 breaststroke, 200 IM, 100 breaststroke, 200 medley relay), while finishing in the top-three on six other occasions. She departs as the ACC record holder in the 200 breaststroke and as the school record holder in the 200 IM, the 100 breaststroke and the 200 breaststroke, while also being part of the 200 medley, the 400 medley and the 200 free relay squad record holders.
Botzum recently graduated with a degree in biology and is currently preparing for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials (June 29 - July 6), which will be held in Omaha, Neb., at the Qwest Center.
To be eligible for the Academic All-America team, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA covering all NCAA championship sports.