Thomason Named CWPA Scholar-Athlete of the Year
9/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
Sept. 8, 2016
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The 2016 accolades continue for former University of Michigan water polo standout Ali Thomason as she was named the 2015-16 CWPA Women's Varsity Division I/II Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Thursday (Sept. 8).
The Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is the highest honor given by the league to an active player and is matched only by the induction to the CWPA Hall of Fame. The award recognizes an outstanding senior/graduate student-athlete who has achieved success in both the scholastic (3.25 or higher cumulative grade-point average) and athletic arenas while possessing a spirit which provides service to the community.
Thomason fits the bill in all three areas. She was the first player in Michigan's program history to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America (third team) honors. She is also the first player in Michigan's history to earn first team All-America honors in the pool from the AWPCA. In the community, Thomason was involved with the team's pen pal program with Ann Arbor's Burns Park Elementary School as well as serving amongst the Michigan Athletics community as a peer mentor for M-Leaders and Leaders for Life.
Adding to her long list of accolades, Thomason was also the CWPA Player of the Year and CWPA Championship MVP, while setting a U-M single-season goals record with 94 goals.
Thomason is the second Wolverine to earn the CWPA Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor as Alison Mantel received the award in 2010-11.
Now that her playing career at U-M is over, Thomason will serve as a volunteer assistant coach for the program while she finishes up her degree in neuroscience with a minor in creative writing. She took the MCAT this summer with plans on attending medical school.
