INDIANAPOLIS – Carson-Newman junior swimmer Nancy Claire Smith (Franklin, Tenn.) won the NCAA's Elite 90 award for the 2016 NCAA Division II Women's Swimming and Diving Championships on Tuesday evening in Indianapolis.
The Elite 90 award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's championships.
Smith became Carson-Newman's Elite 90 winner since the award was created by the NCAA in 2008; the junior currently owns a 4.00 GPA in Biochemistry. She was a 2015 National Swim Coaches Association of America Scholar All-American.
In the pool, Smith held the program's school record in the 400 Individual Medley with a time of 4:31.16 until it was reset this season and was a member of the 800 Free Relay that reset the school record at the Bluegrass Mountain Conference Championships last month; the 800 Free Relay time is the third-quickest in Division II this season.
Earlier this season, the Franklin, Tenn.-native help guide the Eagles to a NSCAA plaudit, which honors swim teams that post cumulative GPAs over 3.00.
The Elite 90, an award found by the NCAA, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers.
The Elite 90 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's championships. Eligible student-athletes are sophomores or above who have participated in their sport for at least two years with their school. They must be an active member of the team, traveling and a designated member of the squad size at the championship. All ties are broken by the number of credits completed.
Smith and the six other Eagles competing at the Swimming and Diving Championships begin the four-day meet on Wednesday morning from the Hoosier State.
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