BOSTON - Northeastern University has been pegged as one of only 39 institutions nation-wide to receive the prestigious U.S. Olympic Achievement Award (USOAA), to be presented At the 2013 National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention. The honor is presented jointly by NACDA along with the United States Olympic Committee and its National Governing Bodies. The award recognizes colleges and universities with student-athletes and coaches who contributed to Team USA's medal count during the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

This is the second time in the last two Olympic years that Northeastern has been honored with the award, also receiving it in 2011 following the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

Northeastern's contribution to the 2012 medal count came from swimming and diving star Kelley Becherer (Sheboygan, Wisc.), who earned two gold medals and two bronze medals at the 2012 Paralympic Games. Her golds came in the 50-meter freestyle and the 100-meter freestyle, while the bronze honors came in the 200-meter individual medley and the 100-meter breaststroke. Her 50-meter freestyle time stood as an S13 classification world record at the time, but has since been broken by Becherer herself.

"Kelley's successful performance at the highest level of international competition demonstrates to our team that we should all set our goals beyond what we believe is possible," said Roy Coates, her head coach at Northeastern. "Kelley proves great things are possible if you dream big and make the commitment to make it happen. She is a tremendous role model, and we are so proud that Kelley represents Northeastern University swimming and diving."

NU is the lone member of the CAA to earn the award this year, and is one of just four New England schools (Connecticut, Harvard and Hartford). Overall, 39 universities were honored, breaking down to 35 coaches from 29 schools leading to medals in nine sports and 29 athletes from 18 institutions winning 35 medals in nine sports.

"This is such a wonderful honor and I am so proud of Kelley, Roy, and our entire department," said Peter Roby, director of athletics and recreation. "Kelley is a talented athlete and a remarkable person who serves as an inspiration for all of us at Northeastern. This is the second Olympic Achievement Award in three years for our university and serves as a testament to the competitiveness of our student-athletes and programs at the highest levels of their sport."

Northeastern and the other 38 institutions will receive their awards during the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup luncheon on Friday, June 14. For more information on the USOC and NACDA, click here.

Becherer's participation in the Paralympic Games continues a proud Northeastern tradition of Olympic competition. NU has sent athletes or coaches to 16 Olympic Games, and has been represented at each of the last nine summer and winter Olympics. In total, 29 Husky athletes and coaches have made 39 Olympic appearances. For more information on Northeastern in the Olympics, click here.

Full list of institutions honored:

University of Arizona
Brigham Young University
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Los Angeles
University of Connecticut
California Lutheran University
DePaul University
Duke University
University of Florida
University of Georgia
Gustavus Adolphus College
University of Hartford
Harvard University
University of Illinois
Kansas State University
University of Kentucky
University of Maryland
University of Miami
University of Minnesota
University of Mississippi
University of Nebraska
Northeastern University - Kelley Becherer, Paralympic swimming
North Carolina State University
University of Notre Dame
Ohio State University
Oklahoma State University
Pennsylvania State University
Pepperdine University
Pomona College - Pitzer College
Princeton University
Purdue University
University of Southern California
Stanford University
Syracuse University
University of Texas
Texas A&M University
Texas Christian University
University of Virginia

Information from the official release from NACDA was used in this story.