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William and Mary sophomore Andrew Strait (Henrico, Va.) was named the Men's Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year Friday afternoon by the Colonial Athletic Association, the first swimming athlete so honored in school history. Strait was chosen by vote of each of the league's Sports Information offices out of five nominees who had to be a starter or important reserve, and carry a GPA over 3.25.
Strait was the Tribe's leading points-scorer in 2011-12, winning 16 races and totaling 303.5 points. A standout throughout the regular season, his finest performances came at the year-end CAA Championships, where he set seven school records and earned three All-CAA honors over the course of the three-day meet. The sophomore took second in both the 200 breast and the 400 IM, breaking the school record twice in each event (both in the preliminary heats and in the championship final), and also swam on the record-setting 200 free relay team that took third overall. Strait also broke the school record in the 200 IM, where he won the consolation finals, and was part of the record-breaking effort in the 200 medley relay. Behind the strength of his performances and that of his teammates, the W&M men's team took third at this year's conference meet, its best finish since 2001.
As the Scholar-Athlete of the Year for his sport, Strait now become eligible to be selected as the overall Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the CAA this summer. Tribe athletes have been selected as the CAA's overall winners four times since the program began in 2002-03, including last year when men's soccer All-American Nat Baako '11 earned the honor.
Strait's School-Record Performances (All-CAA in BOLD)
Strait was the Tribe's leading points-scorer in 2011-12, winning 16 races and totaling 303.5 points. A standout throughout the regular season, his finest performances came at the year-end CAA Championships, where he set seven school records and earned three All-CAA honors over the course of the three-day meet. The sophomore took second in both the 200 breast and the 400 IM, breaking the school record twice in each event (both in the preliminary heats and in the championship final), and also swam on the record-setting 200 free relay team that took third overall. Strait also broke the school record in the 200 IM, where he won the consolation finals, and was part of the record-breaking effort in the 200 medley relay. Behind the strength of his performances and that of his teammates, the W&M men's team took third at this year's conference meet, its best finish since 2001.
As the Scholar-Athlete of the Year for his sport, Strait now become eligible to be selected as the overall Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the CAA this summer. Tribe athletes have been selected as the CAA's overall winners four times since the program began in 2002-03, including last year when men's soccer All-American Nat Baako '11 earned the honor.
Strait's School-Record Performances (All-CAA in BOLD)
| Event | Time | Round |
| 200 IM | 1:50.64 | Finals |
| 200 Breast | 2:00.22 | Finals |
| 200 Breast | 2:00.34 | Prelims |
| 400 IM | 3:53.00 | Finals |
| 400 IM | 3:58.06 | Prelims |
| 200 Free Relay | 1:20.89 | Finals |
| 200 Medley Relay | 1:30.10 | Finals |
