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Former Georgia swimmer and College of Education graduate Samantha Arsenault has been chosen as a recipient of the prestigious NCAA Today's Top VIII Award.
“We could not be more proud of Sam,” Georgia swimming coach Jack Bauerle said. “She worked so hard to become the consummate student-athlete during her stay at Georgia. She is very talented academically and athletically, but she also put in some good, old-fashioned hard work. I am proud of her for bringing even more honor and glory to Georgia. It means a lot to all of us in the athletic program, and it means even more to Sam. An award like this was part of her goals when we first sat down after she arrived at Georgia.”
Each year, the NCAA honors eight student-athletes based on their athletic success, academic achievement and community service. The awards were presented Jan. 7 at the NCAA Convention in Indianapolis.
Arsenault, a native of Peabody, Mass., capped her collegiate career in style in 2005 by swimming on the 200- and 400-yard medley relay teams that won NCAA titles. In addition, she co-captained the Lady Bulldogs' squad that won the program's fourth national championship. Arsenault was a seven-time All-American, and she garnered five Honorable Mention certificates. In addition to the 2005 relays, Arsenault was a member of the 200 freestyle relay team that won the 2002 national crown.
On the world stage, Arsenault earned a gold medal as a member of the 800 free relay at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. She won a gold medal in the 200 freestyle at the 2000 World Cup in Paris.
Arsenault earned a 3.82 grade point average majoring in science education. She was a member of the Dean's List and a Presidential Scholar, and was honored with the Joel Eaves Award for the senior female athlete with the highest grade point average at UGA. She was a Ramsey Scholar (top 10 athletes at UGA ranked by GPA) and was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll and the College Swim Coaches Association All-Academic Team. She earned postgraduate scholarships from both the NCAA and the SEC. Arsenault was a member of the Blue Key National Honor Society, the Kappa Delta Epsilon education honor society and the Golden Key International Honor Society. She was the winner of the 2004 BellSouth Leadership Award. She was active in community service, volunteering at local elementary schools, science fairs, hospitals, food pantries and swim camps. Arsenault was awarded the Peach of an Athlete Award by the Atlanta-area Boy Scouts for her community-service efforts.
Arsenault is the seventh Georgia student-athlete (and third swimmer) to receive the Top VIII Award. The others were Lisa Coole, swimming, 1998; Matt Stinchcomb, football, 1999; Debbie Ferguson, track, 2000; Kristy Kowal, swimming, 2001; Kim Black, swimming, 2002; and Jon Stinchcomb, football, 2003. Football player Terry Hoage received similar recognition in 1984 when the award was known as the NCAA Top VI.
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