CLEVELAND, Ohio – Senior Philipp Sikatzki of the Cleveland State University men's swimming and diving team was selected Academic All-District First Team as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Thursday afternoon.
With this achievement, Sikatzki will now advance to the Academic All-America ballot.
Sikatzki carries a 3.93 cumulative grade point average as a health sciences/pre-med major. He is also double minoring in biology and chemistry.
Sikatzki swam at the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive year in his final collegiate season in 2016-17. He reached NCAA qualifying standards in six different individual events this past season.
After dominating at the Horizon League Championships in February, Sikatzki was named both Men's Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Year and Men's Swimmer of the Meet for the second straight season. He became the first individual in League history to win Men's Athlete of the Year in back-to-back seasons.
Sikatzki was the only Horizon League swimmer, male or female, to claim Academic All-District honors Thursday, as fewer than 25 Division I men's swimmers earned the accolade in Thursday's announcement.
Sikatzki won all three individual events he entered at the 2017 League Championships in pool-record time. He broke the school and League Championships records in winning the 100 freestyle by over two seconds and also helped the Vikings to a pair of relay victories, including shattering the school record in the 400 free relay. Sikatzki also broke the school record in the 200 freestyle when he led off the 800 free relay with a split of 1:35.87.
Sikatzki won eight individual titles in the three seasons in which he swam in the League. He leaves CSU as the owner of school records in five individual events. Along with his teammates, he also holds school records in four different relay disciplines.
Sikatzki was named a Scholar All-American by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) for the second time at CSU last June.
Sikatzki was recognized in CoSIDA's Academic All-America At-Large category. Male student-athletes from the following sports are eligible to be recognized in this category: fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming, tennis, volleyball, water polo and wrestling.
