Wilmington, Del. (CRCA/SMU) – Nine members of the SMU rowing team were named Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) Scholar-Athletes, the organization announced in a release on Friday.
The Mustangs who received this prestigious honor include Ruby Čop, Tabitha Hall, Saylor Kercher, Kate Kulig, Francesca La Marca, Emma Mehner, Annabelle New, Tara Phelan and Sydney Stuelpe.
The CRCA Scholar-Athlete Awards celebrate the commitment, discipline and academic achievement of student-athletes who compete in a demanding collegiate sport while maintaining exceptional academic performance.
"I am extremely grateful to be selected as a CRCA Scholar-Athlete," explained graduate student Tara Phelan, "Balancing athletic performance with academics has always been a priority for me and I firmly believe that the two complement one another."
Graduate student Ruby Čop shares a similar sentiment. "Being recognized as a CRCA Scholar Athlete is incredibly meaningful because it validates the 'dual career' mindset I've prioritized throughout my 11 years in rowing…as a Master's student, I have seen firsthand how the discipline, time management and resilience that are required in the boat are the exact same traits that drive excellence in the classroom."
This year's honorees as a whole averaged an impressive GPA above 3.59, with 76 student-athletes achieving a perfect 4.0. These numbers reflect the dedication, time management, and resilience required to excel in demanding collegiate sports while pursuing rigorous academic goals.
To be eligible for CRCA Scholar-Athlete recognition, student-athletes must meet all institutional and conference eligibility requirements, be in their second, third, fourth or fifth year of eligibility and hold a cumulative grade-point average of 3.50 or higher through the end of the fall semester or winter quarter of the current academic year. Athletically, nominees must have rowed in at least 75 percent of spring races in an NCAA or IRA lightweight eligible boat or raced in an NCAA boat at their conference championship or national championship.
