INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Kristy Kowal, a former Georgia swimmer and silver medalist at the 2000 Olympic Games, has been named a recipient of the NCAA Today's Top VIII Award as announced by the NCAA. The award honors eight distinguished student-athletes from the preceding calendar year for achievement in athletics, achievement in academics, character and leadership.

"We could not be more proud of Kristy," Georgia head coach Jack Bauerle said, "as she has worked hard to become the consummate student-athlete during her stay at Georgia. She is a very talented young lady in the classroom and in the pool, but her success has been predicated on old-fashion hard work."

Kowal marks the fourth consecutive year that a student-athlete from Georgia has been a winner of the Top VIII Award and the fifth recipient overall. Terry Hoage, who was a two-time All-American in football, was Georgia's first winner in January of 1984 when the award was NCAA Top VI, but it was 13 years later before the Bulldogs claimed winner No. 2 in swimmer Lisa Coole in 1997. Football player Matt Stinchcomb followed in 1998, and track and field star Debbie Ferguson was honored last year.

"I am proud of her for bringing this much honor and glory to Georgia," Bauerle said. "It means a lot to all of us in the athletic program."

The group will be honored January 7, at the Honors Dinner during the NCAA Convention in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Top VIII Awards are selected by the NCAA Honors Committee, which is composed of eight athletics administrators at member institutions and nationally distinguished citizens who are former student-athletes. Potential candidates are nominated by NCAA member institutions and selected by the committee, which is chaired by Robert A. Steitz, associate commissioner of the Atlantic 10 Conference.

"We look forward to having a great celebration in Orlando. She joins a very prestigious group of former Georgia athletes who have also won this award."

Other 2001 recipients include Drew Brees, football, Purdue University; Matthew Busbee, swimming and diving, Auburn University; Alia Fischer, basketball, Washington University (Missouri); Andrea M. Garner, basketball, Pennsylvania State University; Kevin M. Listerman, basketball; Northern Kentucky University; Amanda Scott, softball, California State University, Fresno; and Josh Sims, lacrosse, Princeton University.

Kowal was also honored two months ago by the NCAA as being named Woman of the Year.

A seven-time NCAA individual champion, Kowal holds eight American, one World and three U.S. Open records, including the 200-meter breaststroke. She helped lead Georgia to back-to-back national crowns and four consecutive Southeastern Conference titles. At the 2000 NCAA Championships, Kowal dominated both breaststroke events and added a third title in the 200-meter individual medley. Kowal also contributed to the Lady Bulldog relays, winning a pair of additional titles as part of Georgia's 200-meter and 400-meter medley relays while setting a World Record in the 400-meter event. For her outstanding efforts at the NCAA Championships, Kowal was named CSCAA Female Swimmer of the Year as well as NCAA Performer of the Meet.

Tallying 22 All-America certificates during her four-year stint with the Lady Bulldogs, Kowal stands second only to teammate Courtney Shealy (26) for all-time distinctions in Georgia athletic program history. In winning her seventh NCAA individual crown, Kowal claimed the most national titles won by any student-athlete in UGA history, surpassing Georgia's trio of four-time titlists, Gwen Torrence (track & field), Debbie Ferguson (track & field) and Hope Spivey-Sheeley (gymnastics).

The Wyomissing, Pa., native holds six University records and received team most valuable player accolades all four years at Georgia. She was honored as the 2000 SEC Female Athlete of the Year. She became the first swimmer in the SEC to earn four consecutive titles in the breaststroke events. Kowal was named the United States Olympic Committee female Athlete of the Month for the month of March.

Most recently Kowal made another splash at the international level. The 1998 World Champion in the 100-meter breaststroke, Kowal earned a spot on the U.S. Team for the 2000 Olympic Games in fine fashion