ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Senior Francis Kim (Houston, Texas/Clear Lake) of the United States Naval Academy water polo team was named this year’s Smith-McCool Award recipient. The award is presented to the member of the Naval Academy graduating class that has achieved the highest overall order of merit from the Texas Gulf Coast area.
Kim, who has a 3.90 GPA in political science, ranks in the top 15-percent of the Class of 2019 in overall order of merit.
The Smith-McCool Award is named after two fallen shipmates that perished during flight as astronauts – Mike Smith (’67) and Willie McCool (’83). Smith was a member of the Space Shuttle Challenger, while McCool was aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia.
The award was presented to Kim by the Texas Gulf Coast Alumni Chapter during a luncheon at the Taste of Texas in Houston in January prior to reform.
Upon graduation in May, Kim will be commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy and his service assignment is submarines.
Release courtesy United States Naval Academy Athletics Communications
