A-10 Announces Swimming and Diving Academic All-Conference Team

Melissa Johnson of Duquesne and Saint Louis' Brad Byars Named Student-Athletes of the Year

Philadelphia, Pa. - Duquesne's Melissa Johnson and Brad Byars of Saint Louis have been tabbed the Atlantic 10 Student-Athletes of the Year in men's and women's swimming and diving, respectively, in voting conducted among the Conference's sports information directors.

Johnson won seven medals, including three gold, at the 2008 Atlantic 10 Swimming & Diving Championship (Feb. 20-23) in leading Duquesne to a third-place finish, its highest in program history. Johnson captured the 100-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle events in school-record times of 50.96 and 1:49.86, respectively, and added a silver-medal performance in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:03.90, tops in program annals. Her times in the 200-yard freestyle and 200-yard individual medley were both NCAA "B" cut times.

In addition, the graduate student swam a leg on the winning 200-yard freestyle relay (1:34.32) and second-place 400-yard freestyle relay (3:26.68). Named to the Academic All-Conference team for the second consecutive year, the Phoenix, Ariz., native boasts a 3.69 grade-point average while majoring in history.

Byars won the 100-yard freestyle at the 2008 Atlantic 10 Swimming & Diving Championship (Feb. 20-23) in a school record-tying time of 45.27. He added a bronze medal in the 50-yard freestyle (20.92) and placed eighth in the 100-yard butterfly (51.61).

The senior from Marion, Ill., also established a program record in the 200-yard freestyle (1:41.44) as the opening leg of the Billikens' record-setting 800-yard freestyle relay (6:52.66). In the classroom, Byars maintains a 3.72 grade-point average as a human resources management major and is a five-time Commissioner's Honor Roll selection.

2008 ATLANTIC 10 WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING ACADEMIC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

Name School Cl. Hometown Major

Lauren Beaudreau Richmond Jr. Seymour, Conn. Criminal Justice

Martha Cutter-Wilson Xavier So. St. Paul, Minn. Undecided

Samantha Demty Massachusetts Sr. Seekonk, Mass. Accounting

Shannon Duval La Salle So. Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago Accounting

Melissa Johnson Duquesne Gr. Phoenix, Ariz. History

Anna Larson Saint Louis So. St. Charles, Mo. Biology

Caitlin Napoli Fordham So. Hauppauge, N.Y. Business Administration

Katie Sieben Richmond So. Seymour, Conn. Business Administration

Lauren Stephens Duquesne Sr. Allentown, Pa. Elementary Education

Katrina Streiner Duquesne Jr. Monroeville, Pa. Accounting

Student-Athlete of the Year: Melissa Johnson, Duquesne

2008 ATLANTIC 10 MEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING ACADEMIC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

Name School Cl. Hometown Major

Michael Berthaume Massachusetts So. Hampden, Mass. Engineering and Anthropology

Brad Byars Saint Louis Sr. Marion, Ill. Human Resources Management

Donato Callara Fordham Sr. Scarsdale, N.Y. Political Science

Ryan Coombs Fordham So. Newburgh, N.Y. Chemistry

Scott Jordan t. Bonaventure Sr. Higganum, Conn. English

Matt Krouse Xavier Sr. Havertown, Pa. Philosophy, Politics, and the Public

Ryan Sheatsley Rhode Island Sr. Allentown, Pa. Mechanical Engineering

John Weaver Massachusetts Sr. East Longmeadow, Mass. English

James Wood St. Bonaventure Sr. Fairport, N.Y. Psychology

David Zenk G. Washington Jr. St. Louis, Mo. Biology

Student-Athlete of the Year: Brad Byars, Saint Louis