Silva Named to Academic All-America Second Team
6/12/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Recent graduate Valeria Silva(Lima, Peru/Alexander von Humboldt) of the University of Michigan women's swimming and diving team has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America women's at-large second team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Silva earned her second All-District first team nod last month (May 22) to become eligible for the national honor.
To be nominated for Academic All-America honors, student-athletes must be of sophomore athletic and academic standing, must be a starter or important reserve and carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher. Nominated student-athletes are then selected by a vote of the members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) within their respective district.
Silva graduated with a degree in brain, behavior and cognitive science and received an NCAA postgraduate scholarship. She picked up two national CSCAA All-Academic honors (2005-06) and three Academic All-Big Ten Conference accolades (2006-08) during her career. Silva also was a runner-up for the prestigious Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarship. She is just the second U-M women's swimmer to earn Academic All-America honors, joining Alecia Humphrey (1992-95), who earned the award in 1995.
She is currently seeking her second Olympic bid at the Peruvian Pre-Olympic Tournament which began Wednesday (June 11) and runs through June 14 in the Olympic pool at Campo de Marte, Jess Mara. A member of the 2004 Peruvian Olympic Team, Silva set a South American record in the 50-meter breaststroke (32.53) at the South American Aquatics Championship (March 13-16) to all but clinch a spot at the upcoming Beijing Olympics. As a junior, she became an All-American as a member of U-M's eighth-place 200-yard medley relay team and swam on the 12th-place 400-yard medley relay to garner All-America honorable mention in 2007. Silva competed at four NCAA Championships during her career and was a three-time All-Big Ten second team member (2005-07).
Contact: Ryan Sosin (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
