Marshall University Athletics
Banton and Payne Recognized as All-America Scholars
7/6/2022 4:40:00 PM | Women's Swimming and Diving, Buck Harless Student Athlete Program
Both student-athletes named to Second Team
RICHMOND, Va. – Marshall swimming and diving sophomore Paige Banton and freshman Kailee Payne were honored by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) on the Scholar All-American Team.
Banton and Payne were both named to the second team. Banton earned the honor as well in 2021 at the end of her freshman year.
"Our staff is incredibly proud of both Paige and Kailee for their accomplishments within our program and in the classroom," Herd head coach Ian Walsh said. "They are both phenomenal representatives of the Marshall University Swimming and Diving program and each of them have the drive to compete at the highest levels of our sport while balancing the rigors of their coursework. The future is bright for these two and the coaches are excited to support them in their goals and aspirations this season."
The award recognizes student-athletes who achieved a grade point average of 3.50 or higher and were invited to compete at the respective national championship. To qualify for First Team Scholar All-America, student-athletes earned a minimum 3.50 GPA and participated in their national championship. Second-Team selections also earned a 3.50 GPA or higher and achieved a "B" time standard for the national championship or participated at a diving zone qualification meet.
Banton is a dietetics major and this past school year was a member of the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll as well as a recipient of the Academic Medal for maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or better. The sophomore competed in the 2022 National Invitational Championship. She finished 22nd in the 200 Breast with a time of 2:18.54. Banton earned the bronze medal in the 200 Breast at the Conference USA Championships with a time of 2:15, and helped the Herd earn two additional bronze medals in the 400 and 200 Medley Relays. The native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada was honored on the 2022 C-USA All-Academic Team. In just two short years, Banton has already put her name throughout the Herd record book. She owns the record for the fastest 200-yard Breaststroke time in program history at 2:12.95, set in 2021, and the second fastest 100-yard Breaststroke time at 1:02.46 from 2022.
Payne is a health science and human performance major who has started her Marshall career off with a bang. She was a member of the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll and received the Academic Medal. Along with the classroom accolades, she was named Conference USA Freshman Diver of the Year, the first from Marshall to earn the award. The Ithaca, New York, native was the only freshman this season in C-USA to make it to the league finals in both the 1 and 3-meter dives. Payne just missed the podium at the C-USA Championships in the 1-meter event with a school-record score of 280.70. She also finished sixth at the 3-meter with a score of 266.10, good for fourth-best in school history. Payne competed at the NCAA Zone A Diving Championships. During the season, she put together 11 top-five finishes at 1 and 3-meter with the Herd.
Both student-athletes shared Conference USA Weekly honors on Jan. 19 with Banton earning swimmer of the week after a great performance at William & Mary where she won both the 100 and 200 breaststroke events with times of 1:05.91 and 2:20.16, respectively. It was her third weekly award from the league. Payne earned her first career win in the 1-meter dive with a score of 269.20 in the meet against Duquesne. Her score was also a Zone-qualifying mark.
Banton and Payne were both named to the second team. Banton earned the honor as well in 2021 at the end of her freshman year.
"Our staff is incredibly proud of both Paige and Kailee for their accomplishments within our program and in the classroom," Herd head coach Ian Walsh said. "They are both phenomenal representatives of the Marshall University Swimming and Diving program and each of them have the drive to compete at the highest levels of our sport while balancing the rigors of their coursework. The future is bright for these two and the coaches are excited to support them in their goals and aspirations this season."
The award recognizes student-athletes who achieved a grade point average of 3.50 or higher and were invited to compete at the respective national championship. To qualify for First Team Scholar All-America, student-athletes earned a minimum 3.50 GPA and participated in their national championship. Second-Team selections also earned a 3.50 GPA or higher and achieved a "B" time standard for the national championship or participated at a diving zone qualification meet.
Banton is a dietetics major and this past school year was a member of the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll as well as a recipient of the Academic Medal for maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or better. The sophomore competed in the 2022 National Invitational Championship. She finished 22nd in the 200 Breast with a time of 2:18.54. Banton earned the bronze medal in the 200 Breast at the Conference USA Championships with a time of 2:15, and helped the Herd earn two additional bronze medals in the 400 and 200 Medley Relays. The native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada was honored on the 2022 C-USA All-Academic Team. In just two short years, Banton has already put her name throughout the Herd record book. She owns the record for the fastest 200-yard Breaststroke time in program history at 2:12.95, set in 2021, and the second fastest 100-yard Breaststroke time at 1:02.46 from 2022.
Payne is a health science and human performance major who has started her Marshall career off with a bang. She was a member of the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll and received the Academic Medal. Along with the classroom accolades, she was named Conference USA Freshman Diver of the Year, the first from Marshall to earn the award. The Ithaca, New York, native was the only freshman this season in C-USA to make it to the league finals in both the 1 and 3-meter dives. Payne just missed the podium at the C-USA Championships in the 1-meter event with a school-record score of 280.70. She also finished sixth at the 3-meter with a score of 266.10, good for fourth-best in school history. Payne competed at the NCAA Zone A Diving Championships. During the season, she put together 11 top-five finishes at 1 and 3-meter with the Herd.
Both student-athletes shared Conference USA Weekly honors on Jan. 19 with Banton earning swimmer of the week after a great performance at William & Mary where she won both the 100 and 200 breaststroke events with times of 1:05.91 and 2:20.16, respectively. It was her third weekly award from the league. Payne earned her first career win in the 1-meter dive with a score of 269.20 in the meet against Duquesne. Her score was also a Zone-qualifying mark.
---HerdZone.com---
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