Aug. 28, 2000

MILWAUKEE -- Heather Czappa has been named UWM's first full-time assistant swimming and diving coach, coach Dave Clark announced today.

Czappa is a four-year UWM letterwinner and a two-time MCC champion and All-MCC selection in the 100-yard backstroke. She holds school records in the 100- and 200-yard backstrokes and is a member of the school-record holding 200- and 400-yard medley relays.

As a graduate assistant coach at UWM last year, she helped coach the men's team to an MCC Championship.

She is a1999 Summa Cum Laude graduate in English, and an eight-time member of the CSCAA Academic All-American team and an eight-time Dean's List selection. Other academic honors include three selections to the All-MCC Academic team, two Faculty Representative's Awards for the highest grade point average on the UWM women's swimming team, and two Acedemic Advisor's Awards for the highest grade point average of UWM student-athletes. She is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Golden Key and Phi Eta Sigma honor societies.

Czappa was named valedictorian at Wisconsin Rapids High School, where she set 11 school records, two sectional records and one conference record.

"It's exciting ot have a full-time assistant coach in our program," said Clark. "Heather's excellent work in helping us win a conference championship last season as a part-time coach, as well as her familiarity with the campus, really made this decision an easy one."