June 12, 2008
University Park, Pa. - Molly Crispell of the women's swimming team was named an ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-American, it was announced today by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Crispell, who was a second team Academic All-American last year, is an Academic All-American for the second straight year and becomes Penn State's 135th Academic All-American in school history and the sixth honoree this year. She joins Gerald Cadogan (football) as Penn State's two first team Academic All-Americans for the 2007-08 academic year.
Crispell was part of the women's at-large Academic All-American teams, which encompass the women's sports bowling, crew, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming and diving, tennis and water polo. This marks the fifth straight year that a member of the women's swimming team at Penn State has been a CoSIDA women's at-large Academic All-American. In addition to Crispell's honor last year, former Nittany Lion swimmers Sarah Haupt (2006), Dee Dlugonski (2005) and Sally Anderson (2004) were also honored on CoSIDA's women's at-large Academic All-American teams. Crispell was also a two-time first team CoSIDA Academic All-District pick, both this year and last year.
Crispell was the female recipient of this year's Ernest B. McCoy Memorial Award, which is presented annually to one senior male and female student-athlete who have combined successful athletic participation with academic excellence. She was the 15th McCoy Award winner from the swimming and diving program since the award began in 1971. Also the recipient of the Big Ten Medal of Honor, Crispell was earlier this year awarded the 2008 Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award by the Big Ten Conference and presented by the Indianapolis Big Ten Community Partnership.
A two-time team captain, Crispell graduated from Penn State and the Schreyer Honors College last month with a degree in biobehavioral health and a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Eyeing a career as a physician's assistant, Crispell has since enrolled in graduate school at Arcadia University in suburban Philadelphia to pursue her physician's assistant degree. Also a recipient of the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, the Boalsburg, Pa. native was a four-time CSCAA All-Academic selection and a three-time academic All-Big Ten selection.
In pool, Crispell was a four-time scorer at Big Ten Championships and a two-time qualifier for NCAA Championships. She was a two-time honorable mention All-American as part of the 800 freestyle relay team and ended her career ranked sixth all-time at Penn State in the 200 freestyle. This past season, the 800 free relay team, which she was a part of, ranked in the top 16 in the country.