Four standouts in the pool and in the classroom – University of Virginia’s Gretchen Walsh, Luna Mertins of Lynn University, Abigail Wilkov of Case Western Reserve University, and Keiser University’s Aubrey Bach – highlight the 2024-25 Academic All- America women’s swimming & diving teams selected by the College Sports Communicators and announced today.
Walsh (Division I), Mertins (Division II), Wilkov (Division III) and Bach (NAIA) have each been named the Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year for their respective divisions. Each of the four honorees earned first team Academic All-America honors for the second time in their careers with Walsh and Mertins garnering Academic All-America honors three times.
NCAA Division I
Gretchen Walsh is a commerce major with a 3.85 GPA. The senior repeated as champion in three individual races and as part of four relays at the 2025 National Championships. She won her fourth consecutive 100-yard freestyle title, breaking her own NCAA and American record in the event with a time of 44.71 seconds. Walsh also captured NCAA titles in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly in leading Virginia to its fifth consecutive NCAA championship.
Walsh ended her career going 16-for-16 in NCAA relays, swimming on victorious relays in all 16 events she competed in over four years. A win in the 400-yard freestyle relay on the final night of the 2025 NCAA Championship capped the feat. She also swam on the winning 200-yard freestyle relay and the 200- and 400-yard medley relays. She was named the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America Women’s Swimmer of the Year for the second consecutive time in 2024-25.
She finished her career with 25 NCAA titles, including nine in individual events, and 27 All-America honors. Walsh set 11 world records (nine individual, two relay) and won seven world titles (five individual, two relay) at the 2024 World Aquatics 25m Championships and was named the Best Female Swimmer.
Walsh represented the U.S. at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, winning gold as part of world record-setting 400-meter and mixed 400-meter relays. She earned a silver medal in the 100-yard butterfly after breaking the Olympic record in the preliminaries and as part of the 400-meter freestyle relay.
Ten of the 30 members of the Academic All-America® Division I women’s swimming & diving teams boast a perfect 4.0 GPA in their undergraduate work or graduate school. The 11 members of the first team have an average GPA of 3.80.
In addition to Walsh, ten other student-athletes are repeat selections on the Academic All-America® Division I women’s team – Kaitlyn Dobler (University of Southern California), Brooklyn Douthwright (University of Tennessee), Josephine Fuller (University of Tennessee), Ching Hwee Gan (Indiana University), Emily Lundgren (Washington State University), Abby McCulloh (University of Georgia), Mona McSharry (University of Tennessee), Chloe Stepanek (Texas A&M University), Emma Sticklen (University of Texas), and Alex Walsh (University of Virginia). Dobler is a four-time honoree, earning first team honors each of the past two years and second team in 2021-22.
| FIRST TEAM | ||||
| Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
| Phoebe Bacon | University of Wisconsin -Madison | Gr. | 3.50/3.50 | Health Promotion & Health Equity |
| Claire Curzan | University of Virginia | So. | 3.75 | Undeclared |
| Kaitlyn Dobler (1) (4) (7) | University of Southern California | Gr. | 3.62/3.60 | Astronautical Engineering (G) |
| Torri Huske | Stanford University | Sr. | 3.72 | Design |
| Emily Lundgren (3) | Washington State University | Jr. | 4.00 | Digital Technology & Culture |
| Mona McSharry (1) (4) | University of Tennessee | Gr. | 3.57 | Kinesiology (U) / Ag. Leadership, Ed., & Comm. (G) |
| Aurora Roghair | Stanford University | Sr. | 4.00 | Human Biology |
| Emma Sticklen (2) (6) | University of Texas | Sr. | 3.70/4.00 | Sports Communication (G) |
| Alex Walsh (1) | University of Virginia | Gr. | 3.54/4.00 | Computer Science |
| Gretchen Walsh (1) (5) | University of Virginia | Sr. | 3.85 | Commerce |
| SECOND TEAM | ||||
| Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
| Lucy Bell | Stanford University | Jr. | 3.80 | Design |
| Caroline Bricker | Stanford University | So. | 3.76 | Undeclared |
| Josephine Fuller (1) (6) | University of Tennessee | Sr. | 3.86 | Psychology |
| Ching Hwee Gan (1) (6) | Indiana University | Sr. | 4.00 | Nutrition Science |
| Skyler Liu | Indiana University | Sr. | 3.71 | Sociology |
| Abby McCulloh (1) | University of Georgia | Sr. | 4.00 | Journalism |
| Anna Peplowski | Indiana University | Sr. | 3.58 | Sport Marketing and Management |
| Leah Polonsky | University of California | Sr. | 3.71 | Computer Science |
| Camille Spink | University of Tennessee | So. | 3.81 | Sport Management |
| Chloe Stepanek (1) | Texas A&M | Gr. | 4.00/4.00 | Biomedical Sciences |
| THIRD TEAM | ||||
| Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
| Brooklyn Douthwright (1) (6) | University of Tennessee | Sr. | 3.82 | Biomedical Engineering |
| Cavan Gormsen | University of Virginia | So. | 3.63 | Undeclared |
| Hedda Grelz | University of Houston | Gr. | 4.00/4.00 | Mechanical Engineering (G) |
| Emily Jones | University of Alabama | Jr. | 3.93 | Sports Management |
| Gena Jorgenson | University of Nebraska | Jr. | 3.93 | Biological Sciences |
| Malia Rausch | University of Arizona | Jr. | 4.00 | Neuroscience & Cognitive Science |
| Arianna Sakellaris | University of Hawai’i at Manoa | Gr. | 4.00/4.00 | Clinical Research |
| Rachel Stege | University of Georgia | Sr. | 3.79 | Finance |
| Annica Valmassei | Davidson College | Sr. | 3.98 | Chemistry |
| Sophie Yendell | University of Pittsburgh | Sr. | 3.81 | Urban Studies, Urban Plan & Geographic Analysis |
(1) – 1st team Academic All-America in 2023-24
(2) – 2nd team Academic All-America® in 2023-24
(3) – 3rd team Academic All-America® in 2023-24
(4) – 1st team Academic All-America® in 2022-23
(5) – 2nd team Academic All-America® in 2022-23
(6) – 3rd team Academic All-America® in 2022-23
(7) – 2nd team Academic All-America At-Large in 2021-22
(NOTE: Swimming & Diving was part of the At-Large program until 2022-23)
NCAA Division II
Luna Mertins, a graduate student with a 3.93 G.P.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, was named the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America Women’s Swimmer of the Year. She is a 28-time All-America swimmer with 23 first-team accolades. She was named to the Academic All-America first team for the second time and she was chosen on the second team a year ago.
She won two individual national titles at the 2025 NCAA Championship, shattering NCAA records in the 100-yard butterfly in 51.78 seconds and the 100-yard freestyle in 48.07 seconds. Mertins placed second in the 100-yard backstroke and third in the 50-yard freestyle. The Sunshine State Conference Women’s Swimmer of the Year holds the conference records in all four events as well as the 200-yard freestyle.
Originally from Friedberg, Germany, Mertins finished her career with four national titles, winning the 100-yard freestyle in 2022 and as part of the 200-yard medley relay in 2024.
Nine of the 30 members of the Academic All-Americ Division II women’s swimming & diving teams boast a perfect 4.0 GPA in their undergraduate work or graduate school. The 10 members of the first team have an average GPA of 3.93.
In addition to Mertins, there are thirteen repeat selections on the Academic All-America® Division II women’s swimming & diving teams – Kiara Borchardt (Colorado Mesa University), Emma Bowling (Carson-Newman University), Camilla Carbone (Northern Michigan University), Zoe DeKievit (Northern Michigan University), Brooklyn Dressel (Cal State East Bay), Bryn Greenwaldt (Augustana University, S.D.), Farida Maher (Concordia University, St. Paul), Emily Mears-Bentley (University of Findlay), Ada Qunell (Colorado Mesa University), Celina Schmidt (University of Indianapolis), Jordan Tierney (Colorado School of Mines), Montana White (Azusa Pacific University), and Melllie Wijk (Drury University). Brooklyn Dressel and Montana White joined Mertins as three-time selections.
The Division II Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist the College Sports Communicators with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2024-25 Division II Academic All-America® program.
| FIRST TEAM | ||||
| Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
| Sophia Bains | Colorado Mesa University | Sr. | 3.94 | Political Science |
| Claire Conover | Drury University | Sr. | 3.93 | Biology |
| Brooklyn Dressel (2) (6) | Cal State East Bay | Sr. | 3.97 | Computer Science |
| Bryn Greenwaldt (1) | Augustana (S.D.) | Jr. | 3.88 | Accounting |
| Luna Mertins (2) (4) | Lynn University | Gr. | 3.93/3.93 | Clinical Mental Health Counseling |
| Marit Reckmann | Catawba College | Jr. | 4.00 | Biology |
| Isabella Revstedt | University of Indianapolis | Gr. | 3.96/4.00 | Business Administration (G) |
| Celina Schmidt (2) | University of Indianapolis | Gr. | 3.82/3.83 | Business Administration (G) |
| Montana White (1) (5) | Azusa Pacific University | Sr. | 4.00 | Mathematics |
| Mellie Wijk (1) | Drury University | Sr. | 3.82 | Communications – Organizational Leadership |
| SECOND TEAM | ||||
| Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
| Elly Belmore | Wayne State University | Jr. | 3.91 | Exercise & Sport Science |
| Kiara Borchardt (1) | Colorado Mesa University | Jr. | 3.84 | Exercise Science |
| Emma Bowling (3) | Carson-Newman | Jr. | 4.00 | Interior Design |
| Fiona Byrne | Catawba College | So. | 4.00 | Biology & Psychology |
| Camilla Carbone (2) | Northern Michigan University | Gr. | 4.00/4.00 | Business Administration (G) |
| Sydney Lewis | University of West Florida | So. | 3.98 | Nursing |
| Farida Maher (3) | Concordia-St. Paul | Sr. | 3.75 | Marketing |
| Emily Mears-Bentley (3) | University of Findlay | Jr. | 3.95 | Psychology |
| Adriana Mieses-Sanchez | University of West Florida | Jr. | 4.00 | Biology |
| Ada Qunell (2) | Colorado Mesa University | Jr. | 3.88 | Exercise Science |
| Jordan Tierney (3) | Colorado School of Mines | Jr. | 3.76 | Computational & Applied Mathematics |
| Aspen Warnygora | Minnesota State | Sr. | 3.97 | Communication Sciences & Disorders |
| THIRD TEAM | ||||
| Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
| Zoe DeKievit (3) | Northern Michigan University | Sr. | 4.00 | Health & Fitness Education |
| Abby Gronholz | Minnesota State | Sr. | 3.58 | Political Science |
| Riley Hunt | Ashland University | So. | 3.96 | Primary Grades Intervention Specialist |
| Joslyn Jurski | Pennsylvania Western University, Clarion | Jr. | 4.00 | Computing & Engineering Technology |
| Tehani Kong | Cal State East Bay | So. | 3.65 | Public Health |
| Kirabo Namutebi | University of Indianapolis | So. | 3.90 | Sport Management |
| Kenya Meyer | Colorado Mesa University | Jr. | 3.87 | Exercise Science |
| Olivia Miles | Florida Southern College | Sr. | 3.96 | Marine Biology |
(1) – 1st team Academic All-America® in 2023-24
(2) – 2nd team Academic All-America® in 2023-24
(3) – 3rd team Academic All-America® in 2023-24
(4) – 1st team Academic All-America® in 2022-23
(5) – 2nd team Academic All-America® in 2022-23
(6) – 3rd team Academic All-America in 2022-23
NCAA Division III
A neuroscience major with a 4.00 GPA, Abigail Wilkov capped the most successful women’s diving career in Case Western Reserve University history with a pair of runner-up finishes at the 2025 NCAA Championships. The second-place finishes marked the best in school history.
She finished her career with seven All-America honors, beginning with All-America recognition in the three-meter dive in 2022. The following year, she became the first diver in school history to earn All-America honors on the one-meter board in 2023 before adding All-America honors on both boards in 2024 and 2025.
Wilkov became the first diver in program history to earn All-University Athletic Association honors on the three-meter board in 2024 and became the first conference diving champion at the school in the one-meter event in 2025. She was the 2025 Elite 90 Award recipient.
Nine of the 31 members of the Academic All-America® Division III women’s swimming & diving teams boast a perfect 4.0 GPA in their undergraduate work or graduate school. The 11 members of the first team have an average GPA of 3.92.
Including Wilkov, eleven student-athletes are repeat selections on the Academic All-America® Division III women’s swimming & diving teams – Emmie Appl (Pomona-Pitzer Colleges), Kate Augustyn (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Hannah Fathman (Albion College), Sydney Geboy (Kenyon College), Claire Kozma (Case Western Reserve University) Kaley McIntyre (New York University), Annika Naveen (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Taylor Rohovoit (Johns Hopkins University), Sophia Verkleeren (Williams College) and Karen Zhao (University of Chicago). Augustyn is a three-time honoree.
The Division III Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division III national governance structure to assist the College Sports Communicators with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2024-25 Division III Academic All-America® program.
| FIRST TEAM | ||||
| Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
| Emmie Appl (3) | Pomona-Pitzer | Sr. | 4.00 | Molecular Biology |
| Kate Augustyn (2) (6) | MIT | Sr. | 3.68 | Biological Engineering |
| Fiora Beratahani | MIT | So. | 4.00 | Mechanical Engineering |
| Sydney Geboy (1) | Kenyon College | Sr. | 3.85 | Psychology & Sociology |
| Michelle Liu | Johns Hopkins University | Sr. | 3.93 | Neuroscience |
| Kaley McIntyre (1) | New York University | Jr. | 3.80 | History |
| Kailee Payne | Ithaca College | Sr. | 3.92 | Environmental Science |
| Sophia Verkleeren (1) | Williams College | Sr. | 3.94 | Chemistry |
| Gabrielle Wei | Kenyon College | Sr. | 3.62 | Sociology |
| Abigail Wilkov (1) | Case Western Reserve University | Sr. | 4.00 | Neuroscience |
| Karen Zhao (6) | University of Chicago | Sr. | 3.83 | Business Economics & Psychology |
| SECOND TEAM | ||||
| Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
| Tess Boyer | Wheaton College (IL) | So. | 3.97 | Comp. Science, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology |
| Hannah Fathman (3) | Albion College | Sr. | 3.97 | Political Science, Spanish & Theatre Minor |
| Elisabella Forest | University of Chicago | Sr. | 3.91 | Economics |
| Emily Harris | Denison University | Jr. | 3.88 | Financial Economics |
| Claire Kozma (3) | Case Western Reserve University | Jr. | 4.00 | Human Nutrition |
| Annika Naveen (2) | MIT | Jr. | 3.92 | Bioengineering |
| Isabel Oldham | New York University | Sr. | 3.80 | Urban Design & Architecture |
| Nicole Ranile | New York University | Jr. | 3.80 | Media, Culture, & Communications |
| Taylor Rohovit (2) | Johns Hopkins University | Sr. | 3.86 | Computer Science |
| THIRD TEAM | ||||
| Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
| Amy Benson | Trinity University | So. | 3.92 | Biochemistry |
| Natalie Boorjian | Emory University | So. | 4.00 | Biology |
| Francesca Coppo | Pomona-Pitzer | So. | 3.97 | Psychology |
| Phoebe Ferguson | Denison University | Jr. | 3.79 | Health, Exercise, & Sports Studies |
| Molly Haag | Kenyon College | Jr. | 3.77 | Mathematics |
| Angeli Paull | Case Western Reserve University | Sr. | 3.86 | Nutritional Biochemistry & Metabolism |
| Ella Pennington | Rowan University | Jr. | 3.89 | Biomedical Engineering |
| Sydney Smith | MIT | So. | 3.92 | Mechanical Engineering |
| Drue Thielking | Denison University | Jr. | 3.89 | Biology |
| Laurel Wasiniak | Hope College | Jr. | 3.86 | Chemical Engineering |
(1) – 1st team Academic All-America in 2023-24
(2) – 2nd team Academic All-America® in 2023-24
(3) – 3rd team Academic All-America® in 2023-24
(4) – 1st team Academic All-America® in 2022-23
(5) – 2nd team Academic All-America® in 2022-23
(6) – 3rd team Academic All-America in 2022-23
NAIA
Aubrey Bach is a graduate student in financial technology at Keiser, where she maintained a 4.0 GPA as both an undergraduate and graduate student. She competed at Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2020-21 before transferring to Keiser.
She earned 11All-America honors, including four in the 2025 NAIA Championships as she helped lead Keiser to its fourth consecutive NAIA title. Bach swam on the winning 400- and 800-yard freestyle relay teams, while also achieving All-America recognition in the 100- and 200-yard freestyle events.
Bach won the 200-yard freestyle and totaled six all-conference awards at the 2025 Sun Conference Championships as the Seahawks won their third conference title in a row. She earned six All-America honors at the 2024 NAIA Championships with individual accolades in the 50-, 100-, and 200-yard freestyle events. Bach also earned All-America awards as part of the 200-, 400-, and 800-yard freestyle relays. She garnered her first All-America honor in 2022 as part of the 400-yard freestyle relay.
Seven of the ten members of the Academic All-America® NAIA women’s swimming & diving teams boast a perfect 4.00 GPA. The 10 members of the first team have an average GPA of 3.92. Leyre Antonanzas (St. Ambrose University) was named to the Academic All-America® first team for the third consecutive year.
The NAIA Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NAIA national governance structure to assist the College Sports Communicators with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2024-25 NAIA Academic All-America® program.
| FIRST TEAM | ||||
| Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
| Leyre Antonanzas (1) (2) | St. Ambrose University | Sr. | 3.88 | Behavioral Neuropsychology |
| Aubrey Bach | Keiser University | Gr. | 4.00/4.00 | Financial Technology |
| Nikoline Biltoft-Jensen | Keiser University | Sr. | 4.00 | Psychology |
| Maaike Broersma | Lindsey Wilson College | Gr. | 3.77/3.82 | Master of Business Administration |
| Nikki Hahn | Savannah College of Art and Design | Jr. | 4.00 | User Experience Design |
| Ines Laurent | Keiser University | Gr. | 4.00/4.00 | Sports Management |
| Marine Lecomte | Keiser University | Gr. | 4.00/4.00 | Financial Technology |
| Riley Renaud | Milligan University | Jr. | 3.52 | Nursing |
| Michelle Weiss | University of the Cumberlands | So. | 4.00 | Mathematics & Middle School Education |
| Sarah Zoellner | University of the Cumberlands | So. | 4.00 | Biology |
(1) – 1st team Academic All-America® in 2023-24
(2) – 1st team Academic All-America in 2022-23
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