Florida Tech’s Savannah Brennan, Dain Rust Receive All-American Honors
By Florida Tech // April 14, 2020
Brennan qualified for NCAA Championships in the 1000-yard freestyle
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) selected its All-American teams for the 2019-20 season.
Head coach David Dent had two of its members selected for the honor. Junior Savannah Brennan and Senior Dain Rust where made the CSCAA All-American Teams.
“Despite the cancellation of the NCAA Championships, Coach Dent did a remarkable job this season,” explained Greg Earhart, Executive Director of the CSCAA. These two student-athletes had the rug pulled out from them this season, so we are excited to recognize them.”
Due to the cancellation of the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships, the CSCAA Board adjusted the selection criteria for each Division.
Dain Rust was not able to participate in the 2020 NCAA Championships, but his qualifying time in the 100 breaststrokes ranked him sixth ( 53:85). Rust registered his qualifying time back on November 23 at the Panther Invite.
Savannah Brennan qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 1000-yard freestyle and the 400 IM. She also participated in the 500-yard and was scheduled to race the 1650-yard freestyle race on the last day of competition.
Brennan earned All-American honors for her performance in the 400 IM collecting a time of 4:25.78. Brennan’s best time this season in the 400 IM was 4:23.74.
The result was an unprecedented number of selections in what is largely acknowledged as unprecedented circumstances. Greg Earhart, Executive Director explained that the Board of Directors sought to not penalize any student-athlete who had not had the opportunity to compete for a spot on the All-American team.
“Our sport is replete with previously-unheralded swimmers and divers who have gone on not just to All-America honors, but also to national championships and Olympic Team spots.”
This isn’t the first time the association adjusted All-America criteria. The first CSCAA All-America team was published in 1924, thirteen years before the first men’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championship.
The first women’s All-America team was published in 1975, seven years before the first NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship. During much of that time, the team was selected by a panel of coaches.
In 1985 the honor was standardized around the NCAA Championships with the top eight finalists receiving first-team recognition and consolation finalists being named Honorable Mention.
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2020 Selection Criteria:
• Division I – All Relays Achieving ‘A” Standards, individuals selected to the NCAA Championships, and divers entered in uncontested events from the Zone C Diving Qualification meet are named All-American
• Division II – In contested events, the top eight finalists are named to the first team while the consolation finalists were named Honorable Mention. In events that were not contested, individual and relay qualifiers selected for the championship are named All-American
• Division III – Individuals and relays selected to the NCAA Championship are named All-American.
• NAIA – Individuals Finishing 1-8th and Relays Finishing 1-4th are named All-American. Relays finishing 5- 8th are named Honorable Mention.
• NJCAA – Individuals finishing 1-8th and relays finishing 1-4th are named All-American
• All – Teams must be current CSCAA Members
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