Baum earns academic All-American honors

Carson High graduate Dana Baum has been named as a third-team Verizon Academic All-American in swimming for the University of Minnesota.

Baum graduated in May with a grade point average of 3.92 in elementary education. It is her second straight Verizon Academic All-America honor.

Baum was a three-time member of the Academic All-Big Ten team her sophomore, junior and senior seasons. In her senior season, Baum was also awarded the Top 5 award, which is given to five male and five female student-athletes with the highest G.P.A.s in Minnesota athletics.

She was also awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award, given by Minnesota Academic Counseling and Student Services. The Outstanding Achievement Award recognizes two student-athletes who most accomplish the four major areas

emphasized by the NCAA Life Skills Program: Leadership, academics, volunteerism and athletics.

As a senior, Baum earned athletic All-America status for the second consecutive season. Baum earned a ninth-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle at the NCAA Championships for her honorable mention All-America honor. She finished in one minute, 47.47 seconds in the prelims of the 200 free to place 12th to qualify for the consolation finals. In the consolation finals she bettered her prelim time with a personal best of 1:47.15 to claim a ninth place finish overall.

She holds the school's fastest times in the 100, 200 and 500-yard freestyles.