March 5, 2008

Three Duquesne University swimmers were named to the Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference team as announced today by the league office. Seniors Melissa Johnson (Phoenix, AZ/Shadow Mountain) and Lauren Stephens (Allentown, PA/Parkland) as well as junior Katrina Streiner (Monroeville, PA/Gateway) were each honored. In addition, Johnson was named the Atlantic 10 Student-Athlete of the Year.

Johnson won seven medals, including three gold, at the 2008 Atlantic 10 Swimming & Diving Championship (Feb. 20-23) in leading Duquesne to a third-place finish, its highest in program history. Johnson captured the 100-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle events in school-record times of 50.96 and 1:49.86, respectively, and added a silver-medal performance in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:03.90, tops in program annals. Her times in the 200-yard freestyle and 200-yard individual medley were both NCAA "B" cut times.

In addition, the graduate student swam a leg on the winning 200-yard freestyle relay (1:34.32) and second-place 400-yard freestyle relay (3:26.68). Named to the Academic All-Conference team for the second consecutive year, the Phoenix, Ariz., native boasts a 3.69 grade-point average while majoring in history.

Lauren Stephens

Stephens, an elementary education major, earns her second straight Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference honor as well. She helped the Dukes win the 200-yard freestyle relay at the Atlantic 10 Championship in a school record time of 1:34.42 and the 400-yard freestyle relay in a school record time of 3:26.68. Individually at A-10's she placed fourth for the Dukes and 10th overall in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 53.08 and finished third for the Dukes and 14th overall in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 24.53. Stephens boasts a 3.91 gpa.

Katrina Streiner

Streiner led the Dukes and finished second overall in the 50-yard freestyle at the Atlantic 10 Championship with a time of 23.66. She also earned a bronze medal in the 100-yard freestyle at A-10's with a time of 51.95 and placed second for DU and ninth overall in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 56.83. Streiner helped the Dukes win medals and set school records in four relays as well. An accounting major, she was also a 2007 Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference honoree.