Lears Named 2nd-Team Verizon Academic All-American

(Mar. 22, 2001) -- Senior captain Jennifer Lears (Towson, MD) has been named to the 2000-2001 Verizon Academic All-America District I Women's Fall/Winter At-Large Team. A second team selection, Lears was one of 20 athletes selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) from the 70-person ballot.

One of only swimmers on either the first or second team, Lears competed in all of Brown's meets this season and earned second team All-Ivy honors in the 400 IM. She came in second place with a season-high time of 4:22.70 (second on the team) to help Brown to a second place finish at the Ivy Championships.

In addition, Lears had seasonal highs of 4:58.92 in the 500 Free (third on the team), 10:21.10 in the 1000 Free (second on the team), 17:02.19 in the 1650 Free (third on the team), and 2:05.20 in the 200 IM (fourth on the team).

She helped Brown to a 189-106 victory over Harvard in the Bears' season opener with a first place finish in the 1000 Free. She the 400 IM and took second place in the 200 IM to help Brown to a 215-163 victory over Yale. In addition, she came in first place in both the 1650 and as a member of the 400 free relay team and had a second place finish in the 200 IM to help Brown to a 227-63 win over Pennsylvania.

The women's swimming and diving team finished the 2000-2001 season with an overall record of 6-1.