Jan. 16, 2009

CLEVELAND - Ohio University sophomore swimmer Rachel Heim was named the Mid-American Conference female Scholar Athlete of the Week, the league office announced Friday, Jan. 16. The honor is Heim's second of the season, as she claimed the accolade Nov. 13 as well, becoming the third MAC female athlete to achieve the feat this school year.

Heim (San Diego, Calif.) holds a 3.97 GPA and earned a 3.94 GPA for the 2008 fall quarter, landing her a spot on the Dean's List. The biochemistry major also garnered Honorable Mention Academic All-American honors by the College Swimming Coaches Association of America for the 2007-2008 season.

The sophomore notched four wins in four tries Jan. 9 in Ohio's 171-121 win over Division III powerhouse Denison. When the waves settled, Heim had recorded two personal bests and three season-best performances. Heim split a season and personal-best 24.84 for the butterfly leg of the 200 medley relay. The Bobcats' time of 1:45.83 in the relay was also a season best. In the 200 butterfly, Heim finished first in a personal in-season best time of 2:05.25. In the 100 freestyle, Rachel stopped the clock in a lifetime-best 52.03 and in the 400 freestyle relay Heim anchored the Bobcats to a win with a split of 53.07.

The MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week award is presented to a MAC male and female student-athlete who has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and performs well during that week's competition. The winners are selected by a group of the conference's faculty athletic representatives.

Heim is one of three female Bobcats to receive the honor this school year, as senior field hockey player Rachelle Coetzee (Bloemfontein, S.A.) earned the award the first week it was handed out (Sept. 4), while junior cross country runner Annie Beecham (Granville, Ohio) shared the honor on Nov. 6.

Heim and the rest of the Bobcats return to the pool Tuesday, Jan. 20, when they'll square off in a dual meet with the Marshall Thundering Herd. The meet begins at 5 p.m. in Marshall's Fitch Natatorium.