WILKES-BARRE – The King’s College women’s swim team has been ranked first academically in NCAA Division III by the Collegiate Swimming Coaches Association of America.

The Lady Monarchs posted an outstanding 3.74 combined team grade-point average to easily finish with the highest spring semester GPA in Division III. Emory University was second with a 3.63 team grade-point average while Colorado College finished third at 3.62. Skidmore was fourth with a 3.61 while McDaniel rounded out the top-five with a 3.57 GPA.

King’s grade-point average also tied for first in all NCAA divisions, equaling the 3.74 GPA of NCAA Division II winner University of Indianapolis. In NCAA Division I, Gardner-Webb led the way with a 3.625.

Junior Maggie Nealer (pictured) topped King’s with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average as a mass communications major. Sophomore Stephanie Hughes followed with a 3.850 in elementary education; sophomore Amanda Casey added a 3.833 in elementary education; while sophomore Kyrstna Homanko posted a 3.813 as an undeclared major. Additionally, senior Susan Hughes contributed with a 3.65 grade-point average in accounting; freshman Carissa Cook stands at 3.574 in biology; while junior Becca Smith chipped in with a 3.471 in chemistry to help lead King’s in the classroom

“We are very proud of this tremendous accomplishment and all the credit goes to the members of the women’s swim team for their dedication to academics and athletics,” King’s coach Matt Easterday stated. “Swimming is a challenging sport in that it requires a great deal of time to train for the various events our student-athletes compete in, but the impressive thing is that they never lose sight of why they are here at King’s – to get a quality education. To finish with the highest team grade-point average in Division III is outstanding in itself, but to finish with the highest GPA in all NCAA levels of swimming is truly a wonderful achievement.