Seidt Named Arthur Ashe Sports Scholar of the Year Semifinalist
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Asia Seidt, junior swimmer and Louisville native, is a semifinalist for the 2019 Arthur Ashe Female Sports Scholar of the Year, awarded once a year by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine.
Seidt, who was invited to compete in the 2019 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship in three individual events, joins a class of 10 semifinalists, one of which will be named the Female Sports Scholar of the Year on April 4. Pursing a Bachelor of Science in Education, majoring in kinesiology with a pre-physical therapy focus, Seidt boasts a 4.0 cumulative GPA.
At the league championship in February, the Southeastern Conference selected Seidt as the 2019 Women’s Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year. While there, she won her third gold medal in the 200 backstroke. She is the only UK swimmer in school history to have won three straight titles in the conference meet in a single event.
The junior has put together a remarkable resume in her time at Kentucky. She is a four-time SEC Champion and five-time NCAA First-Team All-American. In the 2018 national meet, Seidt won a silver medal in the 200 backstroke, while also breaking a school record with a 1:49.24 stamp.
Seidt is actively involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Kentucky. Since 2017, she has participated in team building exercises. She has also pursued shadowing opportunities to build her professional portfolio, observing various outpatient physical therapy programs and learning techniques to improve the quality of a patient’s physical life.
An upperclassman leader on her team, Seidt has participated in various community service projects among her teammates, including bowling with athletes from Special Olympics Kentucky, Tri for Sight, and volunteering with Real Men Read and the Hope Center of Lexington.
Her accomplishments in the pool, in the classroom and in her community are not overlooked. The 2018 University of Kentucky Female Athlete of the Year and the 2017 SEC Female Freshman of the Year, Seidt currently holds six individual school records and has contributed to four record relays. She earned a spot at the 2019 World University World Games and the 2018-19 USA Swimming National Team, marking her second year on each team.
Last year, Seidt was voted to the 2018 CoSIDA Academic All-America Women’s At-Large Third Team. She is a recipient of the University of Kentucky Athletic Scholarship and the 2017 and 2018 University of Kentucky Swim Team Scholarship Award.
In addition to athletic ability, students named 2019 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars have maintained cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.5, at least a sophomore academically, and have been active on their campuses or in their communities. Of the close to 1,000 scholar athletes nominated, one male and one female athlete will be selected as the Sports Scholar of the Year.
The female semifinalists are:
- Amari Black, Fayetteville State University, Cheerleading
- Katelyn Lentz, Arizona State University, Gymnastics
- Kristin Quah, Vanderbilt University, Bowling
- Nina Radulovic, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Rifle
- Stephanie Relova, San José State University, Gymnastics
- Asia Seidt, University of Kentucky, Swimming & Diving
- Kendall Skuse, Buffalo State College, Lacrosse
- Juah Toe, West Chester University (Pa.), Rugby
- Lauren Waller, Penn State University, Golf
- Karrington Winters, The Ohio State University, Track/Cross Country
Seidt will compete in the 2019 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship March 20-23. She was invited to compete in the 200 individual medley, 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke.
For the latest on the Kentucky swimming and diving program, follow @UKSwimDive on Twitter and on Instagram, on Facebook and on the web at UKathletics.com.
