Lehigh University Athletics
Johnson repeats as PL Scholar-Athlete of the Year
2/18/2009 3:15:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – On the eve of the 2009 Patriot League Championships, Lehigh picked up an early accolade as senior Dan Johnson was named the league’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men’s swimming and diving, Wednesday afternoon. The award marks the second straight year that Johnson has earned the honor, which is voted on by the league’s sports information directors, and third consecutive year that the award has gone to a Lehigh male swimmer.
Johnson will be looking to defend his 200 yard freestyle title from a season ago this weekend at Bucknell’s Kinney Natatorium. A two-time first-team All-Patriot League selection for the Mountain Hawks, Johnson will be looking to improve on last year’s championships where he earned two individual silver medals to go along with his gold in the 200 free.
The Wayzata, Minnesota native enters his final Patriot League Championship meet on the heels of another strong regular season, where he scored points in all 11 meets for the Brown and White. Johnson totaled 15 individual race wins during the regular season, competing in the 50, 100 and 200 yard freestyle events. He also was on six event-winning relay teams, and swept the sprint freestyle events in meets versus Patriot League rivals Lafayette and Army. Johnson heads into this weekend’s Patriot League Championships as the individual career points leader in his class.
In the classroom, Johnson’s work has been equally impressive as he carries a 3.51 cumulative grade point average in mechanical engineering. Johnson has made multiple appearances on both the Dean’s List and the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
To be eligible for the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average and be a starter or key contributor in his/her sport. Johnson’s back-to-back awards give Lehigh five since the inception of the Patriot League. He joins Jeff Cline (1996), Jason Boire (2000) and Tom Gilbert (2007) as the Lehigh men’s swimmers who won the award.
The Patriot League will announce its swimming and diving Academic Honor Roll at the conclusion of the spring semester.
Johnson and the Mountain Hawks will return to action at the Patriot League Championships, beginning Thursday morning in Lewisburg, Pa.
