May 17, 2010
(INDIANAPOLIS, IND.) – Senior women’s swimmer Kate Aherne has been awarded an NCAA postgraduate scholarship, becoming the seventh women’s swimmer and 14th Truman student-athlete overall since 2000 to win the award.
The one-time grants of $7,500 each are awarded for fall sports, winter sports and spring sports. Up to 174 are issued annually and were created in 1964 to promote and encourage postgraduate education by rewarding the NCAA’s most accomplished student-athletes through their participation in NCAA championship sports. Athletic and academic achievements, as well as campus involvement, community service, volunteer activities and demonstrated leadership are evaluated.
Aherne (Cary, Ill.; Cary-Grove HS) was a three-time national champion in the 200 individual medley and broke her own national record in the event at this season’s championship. A 27-time all-American, she also won a national championship as part of the 800 freestyle national championship relay squad in 2008. Earlier this month, she was named co-female student-athlete of the year at Truman.
She joins a long list of recent women’s swimmers to earn a postgraduate scholarship, with the most recent selections coming in 2007 when Lija Kaleps-Clark and Brittany Anderson were both recognized.
To qualify for an NCAA postgraduate scholarship, a student-athlete must have an overall grade-point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) and must intend to continue academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree as a full- or part-time graduate student.