Wildcat Swimmers Named to 2006 Homecoming Court

TUCSON ?- Senior swimmers Adam Ritter and Whitney Myers were selected as finalists for Homecoming King and Queen on Monday, Oct. 30, by Bobcats Senior Honorary and Mortar Board Senior Honorary scholarship committees.

The standout swimmers are the first student-athlete duo in U of A history selected to the final Homecoming Court. Arizona Athletics has had a handful of nominees for Homecoming Court in the past, but few have ever made it to the top-five, including men’s basketball players Kevin Flannigan in 1993 and, most recently, Jason Ranne from in 2003.

While only a few student-athletes have been finalists, even fewer have actually won. The first of only two athletes ever crowned was Senior Associate Athletics Director Kathleen “Rocky” LaRose (softball) who was Homecoming Queen in 1978. Eighteen years later, DeeDee Buzzi (track) was crowned Queen (1996) and is the most recent Homecoming royalty from the Arizona Athletic Department.

Every group on campus is allowed to nominate members from their organization
each year. The students must be seniors, have a 3.0 GPA, and be on track to graduate.

Myers is a captain on the women’s swim team for the third consecutive year. In the spring of 2006, Myers tallied six first team All-American honors and was theindividual NCAA Champion in the 200 and 400 individual medley. She also swam the third leg in two national championship relays, currently holds three of the top spots on Arizona’s all-time top performances list and was honored as the 2006 Pac-10 Women’s Swimmer of the Year.

Excelling in the classroom as well, Myers is a biology and pre-pharmacy major with a 3.82 grade point average. She was named first team academic all-Pac-10, made the CoSIDA Academic All-District VIII At-Large first-team and was a swimming and diving Honda Sports Award Finalist.

Ritter is a senior co-captain for the men’s swim team and returns to the water for the 2006-07 season after a breakout junior year in which he scored in the top eight of the 200 IM and the 200 free. At the 2006 NCAA Championships he tallied three national championship relay titles and a total of six All-American honors while posting an Arizona all-time top performance in the 200 IM after finishing second (1:44.15).

Also an academic standout, Ritter received second team Academic all-Pac-10 Honors in 2006. His major is civil engineering and currently holds a 3.14 GPA.

The Homecoming Court will be participating in Mall Events each day next week from Noon-1pm:

Monday - Zona Twister-Palooza

Tuesday - Human Foosball

Wednesday - Wilbur's Wacky Relay

Thursday - Mug Tug-of-War

Friday - Dancin', Dressin', Dunkin'

Students can vote from Wednesday, Nov. 8, at 8 a.m. to Thursday, Nov. 9, at 11:59 p.m. via Student Link from the Homecoming website at www.arizonaalumni.com/Homecoming. The King and Queen will be crowned at the Bonfire Pep Rally on Friday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. in Alumni Plaza.

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