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Bassett, Lidstrom Named Patriot League Scholar-Athletes for Swimming in 2002
American earns three-of-six scholar-athlete selections for winter season

April 4, 2002

WASHINGTON - American University swept the Patriot League scholar-athlete selections for swimming this winter as sophomores Ethan Bassett (Potomac, Md./Winston-Churchill) and Jessica Lidstrom (Stockholm, Sweden/The Swedish School) each earned the individual award after completing stellar athletic performances this season and also maintaining a 3.2 GPA or higher.

An All-Patriot League First Team selection, Bassett recently finished at No. 18 in the nation in the long course 200 meter breaststroke as announced by swimnews.com. He had a seventh-place finish at the 2001 World Cup in the 200 breaststroke and a ninth-place finish in the 400 individual medley, earning him a short course meter school record. In Patriot League dual competition, Bassett claimed three first-place finishes versus Bucknell and two first-place times versus Army. As American competed in their first-ever Patriot League Championships in February 2002, Bassett had two first-place marks, setting new meet records in the 400 individual medley (3:56.45) and the 500 freestyle (4:28.91). A sophomore, Bassett currently sits in fourth place all-time at American in both the 500 freestyle and the 1650 freestyle. As a biology major, he finished the fall 2001 semester with a 3.511 cumulative GPA.

Lidstrom, a native of Sweden and a top performer on her native club team, was also an All-Patriot League first-team selection in 2002. At the 2002 Swedish Nationals, Lidstrom set a new school record at American for the 100-meter freestyle as she led off the 400-yard relay team with a split time of 58.14. Also at the Swedish Nationals, Lidstrom notched another school mark for the 200 freestyle after earning a split time of 2:05.72. In Patriot League action, she had three first-place finishes in the 200 freestyle, 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle versus Army. At the 2002 League Championships, Lidstrom won the 200 freestyle and 100 freestyle events and was a part of the record-setting 400-medley relay team. Lidstrom, also a sophomore, sits at second place all-time for the 200 freestyle at American and is tied for fifth place all-time in the 100 freestyle. As an arts and science major, Lidstrom finished the 2001 fall semester with an impressive 3.893 cumulative GPA.

American had three scholar-athlete selections for the winter season, as Frank Malpigli (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore), a member of the men’s cross country and track teams, also earned the scholar-athlete award. American had the highest number of scholar-athletes of any Patriot League school for the winter season.

American University, which is in its inaugural year as a member of the Patriot League, officially joined the conference on July 1. The University, founded in 1893, fields a 19-sport Division I athletics program, featuring 10 women’s sports and nine for men.