May 20, 2010

MILWAUKEE - Senior Jeremy Waldhart and sophomore Sarah Wardecke of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee swimming team have been named ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), the organization announced Thursday. Waldhart was a first-team selection, while Wardecke was honored as a second-team member.

This is the third-straight season that Waldhart has earned the prestigious honors, following second-team accolades as both a sophomore and junior.

Waldhart, a biology major with a 3.91 GPA, has been on the Dean's List and a member of the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll each semester at UWM. He helped lead UWM to team title at 2010 Horizon League Championships, winning seven races and finishing second seven other times over the course of the season. The two-time team captain placed fifth in the 200 backstroke, eighth in the 400 IM and 14th in the 200 IM at the championship meet and was recently named an Academic All-Horizon League team member for the third time in his career. He earned the prestigious Panther Senior Athlete Award at the annual Student-Athlete Awards reception, owns six school records and won 26 races over the course of his career.

Wardecke is a mathematics major that also carries a 3.91 GPA in the classroom. She was recently named 2010 CollegeSwimming.com Division I Mid-Major All-America Honorable Mention and repeated as the Horizon League champion in the 100 breaststroke at the 2010 league championships. Wardecke also earned second-team all-league honors in the 200 breaststroke, took fourth in the 50 freestyle and was a member of school-record breaking 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay teams. A year ago, she became the fourth-ever swimmer to claim two individual league crowns as a freshman. In April, she was named a member of the Horizon Academic All-League Team for the winter sports season.

As a member of the ESPN The Magazine All-District First Team in District 5, Waldhart will move on to the national ballot later this month. Additionally, Wardecke was the only female student-athlete in the district from the Horizon League to earn the distinction.