INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – Clarion University senior diver Kristin Day (Reynoldsville, Pa./DuBois) is the recipient of the Elite 89 award for the 2015 NCAA Division II Women’s Swimming & Diving National Championship. She is the first Clarion University student athlete to win this prestigious award.
(Photo: Georgette Brown and Kristin Day)
Day, a Chemistry major with a concentration in Biochemistry, has 138 credits earned at Clarion University with a perfect 4.0 gpa, and was presented with the award by Georgette Brown, the chair of the NCAA Swimming and Diving Committee during the pre-tournament banquet on Tuesday night, March 10, 2015 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Day is also in the Honors Program at Clarion and majors in Sociology.
The Elite 89, an award founded 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 89 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.
“What an awesome award,” said Clarion diving coach Dave Hrovat who is in his 25th season at Clarion. “This award honors Kristin for her hard work, dedication and sacrifice in the classroom, as well as in her sport. This is a great honor for her, our program, Clarion University Athletics and the entire University. We are all so proud!”
Day, a two-time NCAA Division II National Champion and 6-time career All-American, won both her NCAA championships in 2014 in dominating fashion. She won the 3 meter springboard title setting a new NCAA record with 539.35 points, winning the event by 52.9 points. She followed that with a 1 meter national title scoring 497.05 points, winning by 30.2 points. For her efforts she was named the CSCAA NCAA D-II Female “Diver of the Year”.
A 6-time NCAA D-II All-American, she placed third on 3 meter and 5th on 1 meter in 2013 and 2nd on 3 meter and 4th on 1 meter in 2012.
The daughter of Dennis and Susan Day of Reynoldsville, Pa., she was honored by Capital One and CoSIDA in June of 2014 as a First Team Academic All-American on the At-Large Team, and then was recognized at the same time as the Academic All-America of the Year for the At-Large program. She is a 4-time Clarion and three-time PSAC Scholar Athlete, a Spring Top 10 PSAC award winner.
The NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Nationals begin on Wednesday, March 11 and continue daily with event champions crowned. A team champion will be crowned on Saturday night.
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.
For more information on the Elite 89 award winners, log on to NCAA.com/elite-89.
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