Former Denison Swimmer Earns NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship

Mollie Parrish, a 2002 graduate of Denison University, became the 38th student from the University to earn a coveted NCAA Postgraduate scholarship.

As a swimmer for Denison from 1999 to 2002, Parrish was the 2001 NCAA Division III Swimmer of the Year and was an integral part of the magical 2001 squad that took first-place at the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving championships. Her national record setting performance in the 100 Butterfly and participation on the winning 200 free relay along with the 200 and 400 medley relay teams were an integral part of the Big Red's historic finish.

Parrish was a 22-time All-American at DU. In her final year, Parrish helped her team to a second-place finish at the NCAA Division III championships. She broke her own record in the 100 fly and set a new school record in the 200 fly. Upon graduating from the Denison swim program, Parrish walked away with 15 swims in the small college all-time top-20 to accompany her eight national titles.

Parrish, a native of Hamilton, Ohio, graduated from Denison with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and will earn a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies in May from Wesleyan University (Conn.). She has spent the last four years as the Assistant Swimming and Diving Coach at Wesleyan and plans to remain in the college ranks as a swim coach following her graduation in May. Parrish was recently appointed the Assistant Manager of Facilities at Wesleyan and in the future, she is interested in pursuing a career in athletic administration. In addition to Parrish being the 38th Denison student-athlete to receive an NCAA Postgraduate scholarship, she is the 21st to be awarded from the Denison swimming and diving program.

The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship program was created in 1964 to honor outstanding student-athletes from NCAA member institutions. The NCAA awards scholarships of $7,500 each year to student-athletes who have excelled academically and athletically and are in their final season of intercollegiate varsity athletic competition. Since Parrish's postgraduate award is retroactive to 2002, she will receive a $5,000 award which was the customary grant at the time. The student-athlete must carry a 3.20 cumulative grade-point-average, be a distinct member of a varsity team, intend to enroll in a graduate degree program and be an outstanding citizen.