Heidrich Named WAC Stan Bates Award Winner
7/23/2019 9:01:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Swimming and Diving
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – California Baptist University swimmer Jerome Heidrich was named the 2019 Western Athletic Conference Stan Bates Award winner on Tuesday morning. It adds to an impressive debut season in the WAC for the Lancers.
Named in honor of former WAC Commissioner Stan Bates, the annual award is given to the WAC's top male and female scholar-athletes and recognizes athletic, academic and community accomplishments. The award includes a $3,000 postgraduate scholarship.
"Jerome was an incredibly successful athlete at CBU, and more than that was a tremendous leader both on the pool deck and in the classroom," Director of Athletics Dr. Micah Parker said. "He also has a great track record when it comes to volunteering and leading his peers. I think he is a great fit for the WAC Stan Bates Award."
Heidrich perfectly exemplified all three areas of emphasis for the Stan Bates Award. He was named the Senior Male Academic Athlete of the Year for the entire Lancer Athletic Department in April for his accomplishments in the pool and the classroom.
Over two seasons of competition at CBU, Heidrich earned 14 All-American awards, four all-academic honors and often volunteered his team as a guest speaker/lecturer or at local homeless shelters or other community events.
"During his time here at CBU, Heidrich has shown his dedication and leadership in and out of the classroom and in the community," Coach Rick Rowland said. "He was elected team captain the past two season by his peers for his leadership skills. He led his team by example as a committed student-athlete."
The freestyle specialist and native of Waldniel, Germany earned seven All-American distinctions each year at CBU, first at the 2018 NCAA Division II Championships as a junior and then as a senior at the 2019 College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) National Invitational Championships (NIC). This past March, he was named the 2019 Swimmer of the Meet at the CSCAA NIC after he won four championships, had two runner-up finishes and another top-five swim at the national meet.
At the conference level, Heidrich won seven conference titles in two years, as well, with four in the Western Athletic Conference this past season and three in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) in 2018. He had six other all-conference finishes, along with three All-Academic awards. He set seven new CBU records in his senior season: the 50 (19.53 seconds), 100 (42.91) and 200-yard freestyles (1:35.64), the 200 (1:18.95), 400 (2:54.39) and 800-freestyle relays (6:29.27) and 400-medley relay (3:10.09).
Heidrich, who redshirted the 2016-17 season at CBU, is expected to graduate with a Master's of Science in Sports and Performance Psychology during the ceremony on August 22nd. He earned four all-academic awards in his career, including two each at the conference and national levels. He also made CBU's President's List the last three years, in addition to being a member of the Alpha Kappa Delta, International Sociology Honor Society as a senior.
"Jerome is a very engaged student in a graduate program that requires a distinctly hands-on approach for success," said Dr. Dave Pearson, the Dean of the College of Health Science, a professor of Kinesiology and the Lancers' Faculty Athletics Representative. "Jerome's professors state that he stands out in his ability to lead an activity with strong presence and humility. I am quite confident that Jerome will make a name for himself in the sports world even after his days of competition are behind him."
Even while balancing a tough athletic and academic schedule, Heidrich intentionally carved out time to give back to his team, school, and community. He served as the Lancers' team captain for the last two seasons and regularly applied what he learned in his classes with the squad by leading sports psychology sessions on visualization and mindfulness with the team.
Heidrich worked as a teaching assistant and academic tutor for the behavioral sciences department, and also volunteered as an inspirational/guest speaker at the Riverside Aquatics Association and for undergraduate classes at CBU as a senior, speaking on a wide range of topics, including industrial-organizational psychology and physiological psychology, statistics, self-care, and self-reflection. He also volunteered at the local homeless shelter on his own, along with taking part in the swim team's canned food drive and Operation Christmas Child projects each year at CBU.
Named in honor of former WAC Commissioner Stan Bates, the annual award is given to the WAC's top male and female scholar-athletes and recognizes athletic, academic and community accomplishments. The award includes a $3,000 postgraduate scholarship.
"Jerome was an incredibly successful athlete at CBU, and more than that was a tremendous leader both on the pool deck and in the classroom," Director of Athletics Dr. Micah Parker said. "He also has a great track record when it comes to volunteering and leading his peers. I think he is a great fit for the WAC Stan Bates Award."
Heidrich perfectly exemplified all three areas of emphasis for the Stan Bates Award. He was named the Senior Male Academic Athlete of the Year for the entire Lancer Athletic Department in April for his accomplishments in the pool and the classroom.
Over two seasons of competition at CBU, Heidrich earned 14 All-American awards, four all-academic honors and often volunteered his team as a guest speaker/lecturer or at local homeless shelters or other community events.
"During his time here at CBU, Heidrich has shown his dedication and leadership in and out of the classroom and in the community," Coach Rick Rowland said. "He was elected team captain the past two season by his peers for his leadership skills. He led his team by example as a committed student-athlete."
The freestyle specialist and native of Waldniel, Germany earned seven All-American distinctions each year at CBU, first at the 2018 NCAA Division II Championships as a junior and then as a senior at the 2019 College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) National Invitational Championships (NIC). This past March, he was named the 2019 Swimmer of the Meet at the CSCAA NIC after he won four championships, had two runner-up finishes and another top-five swim at the national meet.
At the conference level, Heidrich won seven conference titles in two years, as well, with four in the Western Athletic Conference this past season and three in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) in 2018. He had six other all-conference finishes, along with three All-Academic awards. He set seven new CBU records in his senior season: the 50 (19.53 seconds), 100 (42.91) and 200-yard freestyles (1:35.64), the 200 (1:18.95), 400 (2:54.39) and 800-freestyle relays (6:29.27) and 400-medley relay (3:10.09).
Heidrich, who redshirted the 2016-17 season at CBU, is expected to graduate with a Master's of Science in Sports and Performance Psychology during the ceremony on August 22nd. He earned four all-academic awards in his career, including two each at the conference and national levels. He also made CBU's President's List the last three years, in addition to being a member of the Alpha Kappa Delta, International Sociology Honor Society as a senior.
"Jerome is a very engaged student in a graduate program that requires a distinctly hands-on approach for success," said Dr. Dave Pearson, the Dean of the College of Health Science, a professor of Kinesiology and the Lancers' Faculty Athletics Representative. "Jerome's professors state that he stands out in his ability to lead an activity with strong presence and humility. I am quite confident that Jerome will make a name for himself in the sports world even after his days of competition are behind him."
Even while balancing a tough athletic and academic schedule, Heidrich intentionally carved out time to give back to his team, school, and community. He served as the Lancers' team captain for the last two seasons and regularly applied what he learned in his classes with the squad by leading sports psychology sessions on visualization and mindfulness with the team.
Heidrich worked as a teaching assistant and academic tutor for the behavioral sciences department, and also volunteered as an inspirational/guest speaker at the Riverside Aquatics Association and for undergraduate classes at CBU as a senior, speaking on a wide range of topics, including industrial-organizational psychology and physiological psychology, statistics, self-care, and self-reflection. He also volunteered at the local homeless shelter on his own, along with taking part in the swim team's canned food drive and Operation Christmas Child projects each year at CBU.
Players Mentioned
Free
/ Swimming and DivingCBU Men's Soccer Hype Video 2025
Friday, September 05
CBU Women's Soccer Hype Video 2025
Monday, September 01
Beyond The: Course w/ Baiplu Pusanisa Ekkantrong
Wednesday, May 28
Lancer Golf Classic 2025
Wednesday, May 21
