Great spirit.

Be classy winners.

Undefeated season.

These are a few of the goals listed on a red poster in the Preston Center locker room of the Lady Topper swimming and diving team.

Not to be overlooked, the phrase “Be a good student athlete” also appears on the list. This may be the most challenging goal, considering the swimmers have an average class load of 15 hours coupled with 17-20 hours a week of practice.

Unlike sports such as football and basketball, swimmers have no professional arena to enter. This is reflected in the team’s commitment to academics.

“One of our main goals each year is to be an Academic All-American team,” said coach Bruce Marchionda.

He said the women’s team achieved the goal for the last three years, while the men have one out of three.

Senior Amber Miller said every student athlete learns to balance school and swimming.

“Sometimes I feel like I’m going insane,” said Miller, a senior biology major and chemistry minor. “I really try to keep on top of things.”

Miller studies about two hours every night and on the weekends. She said school becomes difficult when the team travels to away meets, when missing class means turning in assignments early and studying for make-up exams.

In a NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate Compilation Report released Aug. 8, both the men’s and women’s teams were above average compared to other Division I schools.

The men’s team was two points above the national average with a 972 rating. The women’s team rating was 988, while the national average for women’s teams is 977.

The academic progress rate is based on a student-athlete’s academic eligibility, as well as retention and graduation rates.

Compared with other sports at Western, the women’s swim team ranks third, behind cross country and volleyball.

The men’s team is more in the middle. They rank fifth out of nine sports.

Marchionda said swimmers have three programs designed to help if they need it. The first is a team study hall three nights a week. This is mandatory for freshmen and anyone on academic probation, until progress reports prove otherwise.

If swimmers need additional help, there is individual tutoring during the day as well as peer tutoring for various courses.

Junior Sam Sawzak said she found tutoring helpful for specific subjects during her freshman year. Now into her design, merchandising and textiles major classes, Sawzak said she often goes to the library in the evenings. There she can study without the distractions of roommates.

Conflicting schedules are part of the juggling Sawzak said she has to deal with as an athlete.

“You have to schedule your classes around practices,” she said.

Sawzak said balancing the two put her on the “five-year plan” for graduating.

Karl Swanson, a senior finance major, hopes to repeat last year’s achievement of being a NCAA Academic All-American before he graduates in May.

“I think being an athlete develops a good work ethic, which carries over to the classroom,” he said.

Swanson said his grades are looking good so far. With numerous top finishes already, Swanson is on his way to swimming times that, in addition to grades, will qualify him as an Academic All-American this season.

Miller and Swanson said the coaches really emphasize academics, asking the team how classes are going and reminding them that they are students first and athletes second.

Reach Laura Clark at sports@wkuherald.com.