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Photo: CoSIDA
The SEC’s six student-athletes highlight the 2022 Academic All-America® major women’s teams selected by the United States Director of College Athletic Information (CoSIDA). The Academic All-America team recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances in athletic competition and in the classroom. The major women’s team includes beach volleyball, bowling, sailing, hockey, fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming and diving, tennis and water balloon. Each school is also limited to only four nominees.
Alabama state swimmer Morgan Liberto and Florida gymnast Megan Skaggs were honorees on the All-America Academic First Team. Skaggs teammate Leah Clapper was named to the second team, with golfer Ole Miss Chiara Tamburlini and Tennessee swimmer Kara Holt and tennis player Tenika McGiffin both on the third team.
Liberto, an American-American, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in public management in May through Alabama’s Accelerated Master’s Program, maintaining a 4.0 GPA in both courses.
Skaggs graduated with honors in August 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Advertising and completed a master’s degree in Business in April 2022. She and teammate Trinity Thomas became the sole competitor at the NCAA Championships. 2022 to win up to 5 All-American honors.
Clapper won both the all-American academic and athletic titles in Florida. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in advertising in August 2021. Clapper is currently pursuing her professional master’s degree at UF’s College of Journalism and Communication, achieving a 4.0 GPA in the 2021-22 academic year.
Tamburlini earned the all-American first team title awarded by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association after finishing in her individual top 10 at the NCAA Championships. Through six semesters of pursuing a finance degree from Ole Miss, Tamburlini has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA. A two-time WGCA All-American Scholar, she has also received numerous academic awards from all conferences.
Boasting a 4.0 GPA in Neuroscience, Holt has added her CoSIDA academic recognition to her already impressive list of academic accolades on the list of two-time All-American Scholars. CSCAA and two-time SEC Academic Honors selection. The junior diver is a member of the Lady Vols SEC Championship roster, competing on 1-meter, 3-meter and platform courts.
McGiffin excelled both on the field and in the classroom for Lady Vols. As a freshman graduate, she has a perfect 4.0 GPA in her Master of Sports Management program. She set an 18-13 singles record with six ranked wins and had similar success in doubles, going 23-15 and reaching the Round of 16 of the NCAA Doubles Championships before exiting a draw.
