Academic All-American Rebecca Gutwin

June 15, 2006

GENEVA, N.Y.—Recent William Smith graduate Rebecca Gutwin (Champlain Valley Union/Williston, Vt.) was named to the ESPN The Magazine Women’s At-Large Academic All-America® second team. A mathematics major, she graduated summa cum laude in May.

Gutwin, the stroke (the pacesetter for the boat, seated closest to the coxswain) in the crew team’s varsity eight, is the 11th Heron to earn Academic All-American honors. She is the first William Smith oarswoman to receive the national acclaim.

A three-year member of the varsity eight, Gutwin is a two-time CRCA Pocock All-American. The varsity eight earned the Liberty League Boat of the Week award four times this season en route to the Liberty League Crew of the Year Award. They captured the 2006 Liberty League Championship in convincing fashion, enjoying a seven-second cushion over their nearest competitor. Gutwin and her teammates also earned a silver medal at this year’s New York State Rowing Championship.

Gutwin was named to the Dean’s List in each of her four years on campus. A Faculty Scholar, she is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest academic honor society, and the Laurel Society, William Smith’s junior class honor society. Gutwin earned a spot on the Liberty League All-Academic team in each of the past three seasons.

At the annual William Smith Athletics Banquet, Gutwin was presented the Evaleen C. Harrison ’19 Scholar-Athlete Award.

Diagnosed with a rare form of breast cancer as a first-year, Gutwin worked a part-time job, tutored elementary and preschool age children, and continued to practice with the team all while undergoing daily radiation treatments. She was presented with the 2004 ECAC Award of Valor for her triumph over the disease.

The Academic All-America® Teams program honors 816 female and male student-athletes annually who have succeeded at the highest level on the playing field and in the classroom. Individuals are selected through voting by CoSIDA, the College Sports Information Directors of America; a 2,000-member organization consisting of sports public relations professionals for colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.

The Women’s At-Large Academic All-America® Team consists of the top 15 student-athletes in bowling, crew, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming and diving, tennis, and water polo. CoSIDA also names a second and third team consisting of 15 student-athletes each.

To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 on a scale of 4.00, and have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at her current institution.

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