Hardt is one of the top scholar-athletes

Carson High graduate Julie Hardt was already able to call herself one of the top scholar-athletes in the country. She can now call herself on of the top 10 scholar-athletes in the nation.

Hardt was honored as one of the 10 finalists for the NCAA Woman of the Year award during a ceremony in Indianapolis.

Hardt was one of 10 finalist chosen from nominees from 340 NCAA schools representing 16,000 female athletes. The NCAA Woman of the Year award is considered to be the "Heisman Trophy," which recognizes the top female scholar-athletes in the nation.

Hardt has been attending the University of Georgia. She will graduate in May with a double major in psychology and exercise science and currently maintains a 3.85 grade point average. She is a three-time academic All-American. She also received the NCAA Posgraduate Scholarship, the most prestigious scholarship the NCAA awards to graduate student-athletes.

While at Carson High, Hardt helped lead the Senators to four state titles and still holds several state records. She began her career as a 7-year-old with the Carson Tigersharks.

She went on to win a world title as a member of an American-record setting 800-meter relay team in 2001. She was a gold medalist in the Goodwill Games, a member of Georgia's NCAA title team in 2001 and an Olympic Trials qualifier in the 200 and 400 meter freestyles and the 200 butterfly. At Georgia, she was an All-American in the 200, 500 and 1,650-yard freestyles and the 800 free relay.

Hardt was a member of Georgia's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Golden Key International Honor Society. She volunteered at St. Mary's Hospital in Athens, Ga., worked on Habitat for Humanity and was a counselor for the Pacific Swimming Zone 4 Swim Camp.

Her plans for postgraduate study include earning a master's in exercise science, possibly in Australia. Hardt is retired from swimming but is a member of the Georgia women's ultimate frisbee team.