Amherst's Stern Earns NCAA Today's Top VIII Award
Courtesy Amherst Sports Information
AMHERST, Mass. – Kendra Stern '11 graduated from Amherst College nearly six months ago, but that hasn't stopped her from contributing to the school's trophy case.
On Tuesday Stern was named a recipient of the prestigious NCAA Today's Top VIII Award, which recognizes student-athletes across all divisions for excellence in athletics, academics and community service.
The Top VIII awards will be presented during the Honors Celebration as part of the NCAA Convention in Indianapolis on Jan. 13, 2012. Former winners include Tim Tebow, Rebecca Lobo and John Elway.
The NCAA introduced the Top VIII Award in 1973, but Stern joins former Amherst cross country and track & field standout Carter Hamill '05 as the NESCAC's lone two recipients. Stern is also only the second Division III swimmer recognized in the award's 40-year history.
The Top VIII Award winners are selected by the NCAA Honors Committee, which is composed of athletics administrators at member institutions and nationally distinguished citizens who are former student-athletes. It is not guaranteed that a Division III student-athlete will be recognized as one of the award's eight recipients in any given year.
Stern graduated last May with a 3.79 GPA with a double major in art history and Spanish. She was a 13-time national champion and in 2011 was named the NCAA Division III National Swimmer of the Year. She holds Division III records in the 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle events and led the Lord Jeffs to a top-10 finish in four consecutive NCAA Championship meets.
The 24-time All-America and 28-time All-Conference honoree was also named NESCAC Swimmer of the Year three times and finished with 16 conference titles. Stern holds countless school, conference and pool records and finished her career with a 74-2 record in individual freestyle events, including a 21-0 mark as a senior.
Stern became the first two-time Academic All-America honoree in school history, notably earning a First Team selection in 2011. She graduated Magna Cum Laude and received Amherst's Psi Upsilon and Anna Baker Heap Prizes, as well as the school's Howard Hill Mossman Trophy.
When not in the pool or classroom, Stern poured countless hours into community swim lessons and volunteered at the Mead Art and Albuquerque museums. She served as a tutor and participated in several fundraisers, all while finding the time to complete a 150-page honors thesis.
Shortly after being named the NCAA Division III Swimmer of the Year in March, Stern qualified for the 2012 Olympic Trials in three events. In June the Collegiate Women Sports Awards named her the recipient of the 2010-11 Honda Award Division III Athlete of the Year as the top female student-athlete in the nation. Stern has also been featured on NPR's "Only a Game" and in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd."
Joining Stern as this year's NCAA Top VIII Award winners are: Sam Acho (University of Texas at Austin, football); Kelsey Bruder (University of Florida, softball); Shannon Gagne (University of New Haven, track & field); Kayla Hoffman (University of Alabama, gymnastics); Lee Ellis Moore (University of Mississippi, track & field); Danielle Robinson (University of Oklahoma, basketball); Brittany Viola (University of Miami, swimming & diving).
