University of Kentucky swimmer Asia Seidt has been named the 2019 Arthur Ashe Female Sports Scholar of the Year. She was chosen from 1,000 nominees by the magazine Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. The award has been given annually since 1992 to athletes who “have excelled in the classroom as well as on the athletic field.”
Seidt, a junior, is a 4-time SEC Champion and, after last week’s NCAA Championship meet, a 7-time first team CSCAA All-American: more than any swimmer, male or female, in school history. She finished in a tie for 5th place in the 200 IM and in solo possession of 5th place in the 100 back. Her 100 back time of 50.68 in the “A” final is the new Kentucky school record.
Outside of the pool, Seidt was named the 2019 Elite 90 Award winner as the swimmer at the NCAA Championship meet with the highest cumulative GPA (4.0 while majoring in kinesiology).
“You can’t find a better representation of what it means to be a student-athlete in all of collegiate athletes,” said Kentucky head coach Lars Jorgensen. “She is a wonderful young lady, great student, great leader and an asset to our program. She is great to coach and she is hardworking, and there isn’t much she can’t do and excel in at a high level.”
Asia is the greatest swimmer of all time