May 28, 2009
Contact: Greg Murphy
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland State junior swimmer Stephen Grove has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District first team in the men's at-large category in voting conducted by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
The all-district team consists of 10 NCAA Division I student-athletes from Ohio, Tennessee, Michigan, Alabama and Kentucky, while the men's at-large category consists of the sports of fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming and diving, tennis, volleyball, water polo and wrestling.
Grove, who was a second team all-district pick last season, will now advance to the national ballot where he is eligible for Academic All-America honors.
"This is truly a great honor for Stephen and the men's swimming and diving program," CSU Director of Competitive Aquatics Wally Morton said. "During his time at Cleveland State, Stephen has combined an excellent performance in the classroom with an outstanding work ethic to be successful in the pool. He is the ideal student-athlete and a true champion and I am excited to have the opportunity to coach him for another season."
Grove had a tremendous season in the pool, setting records in both the 50 free and 100 fly at the Horizon League Championships. Grove won the 100 fly title in 48.60 on Feb. 27 and used a 20.09 preliminary time in the 50 free to set a new CSU and Horizon League mark. The Horizon League Scholar Athlete of the Month in October, he also swam the ninth-fastest time in school history in the 100 free in 2008 (45.78).
He was also very instrumental in helping several of the relay teams succeed.
He was part of the 200 free team that swam a CSU and Horizon League Championship record of 1:19.50 in their win while also helping the 400 free relay team finish finished fourth in school-record time (3:00.45).
Grove was also part of the league champion 200 medley relay squad that set a school and Horizon League record (1:27.58), while also helping the 400 medley relay team to a runner-up finish (3:16.72), setting a CSU record and breaking the old league mark.
In the classroom, the West Chester, Ohio native carries a 3.83 grade point average as a mechanical engineering major, the best GPA on the squad.
Grove's selection to the academic all-district team marks the fourth straight year that the Vikings had a student-athlete named to the team as Bjorn Schantz was named to the first team in 2006-07 after garnering a spot on the second team in 2005-06.
