Beckwith and Rimmel named to Academic All-District teams

OLIVET, Mich. -- Olivet College junior Kellen Beckwith (Farmington Hills/North Farmington) and senior Megan Rimmel (Ithaca) have been named to the 2010 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV At-large teams, as selected by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Beckwith is a first-team selection and advances to the national College Division Academic All-America® ballot. Rimmel was tabbed to the second-team.

Beckwith, who carries a perfect 4.0 grade point average (GPA) in mathematics, is a three-time All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) selection in swimming and diving. He is a two-time NCAA All-American, as he placed eighth in the 100 backstroke at the 2009 national championships and seventh in the same event at the 2010 national championships. In addition, Beckwith holds the school record in the 100 backstroke (50.16) and 200 backstroke (1:52.31), and swam a leg of the school record 200 and 400 freestyle and 200 and 400 medley relays. He was also the recipient of the 2010 NCAA Elite 88 award for men's swimming and diving, which is presented to the student-athlete competing at each of the 88 NCAA national championships with the highest cumulative GPA.

Out of the pool, Beckwith is the leader of the Comet Christian Fellowship, vice president of Mathletes and a member of the Washington Gladen Society and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He has also participated in community service projects in Olivet and surrounding communities.

Rimmel graduated magna cum laude with a 3.84 GPA in sports recreation management and business concentration. She is a three-time All-MIAA selection in women's golf. For her four-year career, Rimmel played a school record 96 total rounds and posted an 83.5 stroke average. Her career-best round was a 74, which ties for second all-time in school history. In addition, Rimmel earned 2009 and 2010 National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) All-Great Lakes Region honors and 2010 NGCA honorable mention All-American honors.

Rimmel received the 2010 Most Outstanding Female Athlete Award. She was also a recipient of the Donald A. Morris award, which is given annually to the top five graduating five seniors.

The Academic All-America® program recognizes student-athletes who have succeeded in athletic competition and in the classroom. The members of the All-District IV teams are selected by sports information directors in Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee. To be eligible, the student-athlete must have legitimate athletic credentials and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.30.

Sports covered in the at-large category are women's bowling; women's crew; men's and women's fencing; women's field hockey; men's and women's golf; men's and women's gymnastics; men's and women's ice hockey; men's and women's lacrosse; men's and women's rifle; men's and women's skiing; men's and women's swimming & diving; men's and women's tennis; men's volleyball; men's and women's water polo; and men's wrestling.