AUSTIN, Texas – IUP sophomore swimmer Paige Mikesell was named to the 2020 Academic All-America® Division II Women's At-Large team, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and announced Thursday. 

She earned third team honors and is one of 50 total selections to the Women's At-Large team. 

The CoSIDA Academic All-America® teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. The at-large program the sports of fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming and diving, tennis, water polo for both men and women; bowling, crew and field hockey for women; and volleyball and wrestling for men.

Mikesell earned three All-American nods in the pool this year and boasts a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average in health & physical education. 

The sophomore standout ranked second in Division II in the 200 yard butterfly with an IUP record time of 1:59.22, earning first team All-American honors in that event. Mikesell also ranked among the top-12 nationally in the 200 freestyle (fifth), 100 fly (sixth) and 200 IM (11th), earning All-American honors in the former two. 

Mikesell had a huge performance at the 2020 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships in February, earning the Women's Most Outstanding Swimmer award. She won four PSAC titles – three individual, one relay – broke two meet records (200 free, 200 fly) and three school records, and had one NCAA A standard and four B standard times. 

She was the first sophomore to ever win the IUP Women's Athlete of the Year, while also adding Postseason Performer, Breakthrough Athlete, and the Performance of the Year awards. She led IUP women's swimmer with 345 points and 17 victories, and helped the program to a No. 22-ranking in the season's final Division II poll. 

In addition to earning CoSIDA Academic All-District™ honors, Mikesell was also a PSAC Winter Top 10 selection and is up for the 2019-20 PSAC Female Scholar Athlete of the Year. 

IUP's Academic All-America History
Mikesell becomes the 51st all-time IUP selection to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® program, including the first from either of the school's swim programs. 

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