Five Ponies named Academic All-District

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Mustang athletes honored with Academic All-District VI Awards
Five athletes named to first and second teams

May 25, 2006

DALLAS (SMU) - Five Mustangs have been named to the ESPN The Magazine Cosida Academic All-District VI men's and women's at-large teams. Brooke Rambally and Halley Rambally for women's tennis, Flavia Rigamonti of women's swimming, Philip Griffin of men's swimming and diving were all named to the first team while Justin Stephenson of men's swimming and diving was named to the second team.

All first-team members will advance to a national ballot and the voting period for the national ballot begins on Tuesday, May 30.

Brooke Rambally was a steady contributor for the Mustangs this season as she played four different spots in the line-up. She posted a total of 21 wins, a winning percentage of .762 for the spring and went 5-1 in conference play. The senior notched a ten-match win streak near the end of the season. Brooke paired with sister, Halley, throughout the season at No. 3 doubles for 18 wins, tying the duo for 7th in all-time career winning percentage at SMU. The Allen, Texas native, blanked four opponents this season and won all matches that went into three sets. She has the 10th-best single-season winning percentage in SMU history. She was named to the All-WAC Academic Honor Roll in 2004 and 2005 and holds the highest GPA on the tennis team. She will peruse medical school upon graduation.

Halley Rambally continued her record setting ways this season as she posted 21 wins this season, earning the 9th spot in all-time career victories. With a percentage of .742, she climbed to 3rd place in the all-time career winning percentage at SMU. Halley paired with sister, Brooke, throughout season at No. 3 doubles for 18 wins tying the duo for 7th in all-time career winning percentage. The senior went on a 14 match win streak towards the end of the season including six wins over conference opponents. She has been awarded the 2004-05 ESPN The Magazine COSIDA Academic All-District VI Women's At-Large first team and Academic All-WAC three years. The Allen, Texas native will peruse medical school upon graduation.

Flavia Rigamonti broke two meet and pool records en route to capturing the 500 and 1,650-yard freestyle crowns at the 2006 Conference USA Championship, which she was named Co-Swimmer of the meet. She notched over 10 first-place finishes and over 15 top three finishes this season and garnered C-USA Swimmer of the Week honors a league-record four times this season. She topped the C-USA Meet record in the 1,650-yard freestyle event with a time of 15:59.96 and earned the gold in the 500 free with a time of 4:40.55, that mark beat the previous championship record of 4:45.90, which was set by Maria Oberg of Cincinnati in 2002. .At the 2006 Spring Championships, she competed among 700 elite athletes and was seeded for a seventh place finish in the 400-meter freestyle event, the veteran pulled a silver medal and a time of 4:16.44. She posted a time of 16:24.56 for first-place in the 1,500-meter free. A four-year All-American in the 500 and 1,650-yard free as well as a five-time NCAA Champion. She was awarded SMU's highest honor as student-athlete, the Presidential Award of Excellence Scholar/Athlete Award. The Breganzona, Switzerland native was awarded with the top conference award being named Conference USA Swimmer of the Year.

Philip Griffin finished in 4th place at the NCAA Championship meet in the three-meter competition with 373.95 points and placed 2nd at NCAA Zone Diving event which qualified him for NCAA competition. He took 1st place at C-USA Invitational in the three-meter event with a score of 379.80 and 2nd in the platform event. He was a three-time All-American, NIC Diver of the Year in 2003-04 and was awarded Outstanding Diver at Dallas Morning News Classic hosted by SMU. In 2004, he was the one-meter and three-meter NIC Champion. The Carrollton, Texas native has been honored with CSCAA Academic All-America.

Justin Stephenson competed in the 200 yard freestyle relay and 50 yard freestyle at the NCAA Championships this season. He set a new career high this season in the 50 free with time of 20.23. The Great Falls, Va. native has the 5th best time this season in the 100 free, 4th in the 200 free and 3rd in the 50 free. The season, he was also part of various relays for the Mustangs. He set most of his personal season high-times enroute to a SMU team crown at the C-USA Invitational. He is a three-time All-America.