FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, March 12, 2004

CONTACT: Ted Breidenthal 816/474-7264 tbreidenthal@d3independents.org www.d3independents.org

Association of Division III Independents
Names February Student-Athlete of the Month Award Winners

KANSAS CITY, MO.--- Two Colorado College student-athletes – sophomore swimmer Taylor Jaramillo and senior guard Matt Bahl, were named today as the recipients of the February 2004 Association of Division III Independents Student-Athlete of the Month awards.

Jaramillo, who hails from El Prado, NM, was named the female swimmer of the meet at the 2004 Liberal Arts Swimming and Diving Championships after winning three individual events and winning another as a member of a relay team. She won the 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle and 400-yard individual medley, and also swam a leg in the winning 200-yard medley relay. She helped lead the CC women to their second consecutive championship and their fourth in the last five years. Jaramillo earned a spot in three events – the 50-, 100- and 200-meter freestyle – at the upcoming NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships. She will become CC’s first woman to participate in the national meet since 1991. She is competing despite a chronic shoulder problem that already has required surgery, and will require a second surgery after the season.

Bahl, a sociology major from Broomfiled, CO, averaged 20.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists while leading CC to a 5-1 record in February. He also won the association’s monthly honor in January. The Tigers improved to 15-9 on the season, 11-4 against Division III opponents, and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1992. Bahl made 26 of 52 three-point shots while leading the team in scoring four times (when he scored at least 22 points). He currently ranks second on the team in scoring, third in assists and is tied for third in steals. Bahl became just the fourth Tiger to reach the 1,500-point plateau and now ranks third with 261 career three pointers (and needs just three to move into second place). He also is 13th with 181 career assists. Bahl, who has played in every game in four years and started every game for the last three, recently was named to CoSIDA’s District 7 All-Academic second team.

The Association of Division III Independents consists of 20 Division III independent institutions that have come together to face the unique challenges that confront independent institutions. The Association strives to enhance communication and professional development among administrators of Division III independent institutions; contributes to effective participation by independent institutions in the Division III governance structure; and seeks equitable opportunities for participation in NCAA championships for student-athletes at its member institutions.

All student-athletes from the Association’s 20 members were eligible for the award. Each school was allowed to nominate its top performing male and female student-athletes from February. The award recipients were selected after a vote of the Association’s Student-Athlete Recognition Committee.