EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men's Swimming and Diving sophomore
Sam Smith and junior
Lane Pollock earned spots on the Summit League Academic All-League team, voted by the league's communicators. Among the seven different Summit League teams, Pollock and Smith were two of 17 men to make the prestigious list.
The list criteria included the player to possess at least a 3.3 cumulative career grade-point average. The athlete also must be a sophomore academically or above. The combination of academic and athletic achievements was judged upon the selection of 17 athletes.
"We are very pleased with Sam and Lane being named Academic All League," says head coach
Cameron Kainer. "They are strenuous workers both in and out of the pool and we are happy to see their hard work in both being recognized. It takes a special person to put together the student athlete model and both have exemplified what it means to do both."
Pollock is among the teams' hardest workers as the only Screaming Eagle to earn this honor twice, along with being named to the Summit League Academic Honor Roll in 2023 and 2024. The Boonville native currently plans to major in finance.
The junior erupted for a career year on the diving board, continuing to improve meet by meet resetting career highs. Pollock claimed his first podium finish at the A3 Performance Invitational, snatching third. In the final regular season meet, Pollock reset his one-meter school record with a massive score of 287.50 pts. Both performances earned conference player of the week honors, adding his third career honor to his resume.
The junior's hard work paid off at the Summit League Champs, becoming the only USI men's diver to earn A-Finals in both one- and three-meter dive events. The consistency continued, scoring 277.95 pts (5
th) in the one-meter and 293.20 pts in the three-meter (5
th). He also contributed to a bronze diving team springboard finish, earning himself his first career All-Summit League.
Smith captures his first Academic All-League accolade in his first year of eligibility for the award. The sophomore from Trafalgar, Indiana plans to major in accounting and professional services. Smith shines both in and out of the pool as he earned Summit League Honor Roll last season and continues to excel in the classroom.
The sophomore captured three new individual school records this season in the 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly, and 1000 freestyle. Smith gained momentum at the A3 Performance Invitational, snatching a third-place podium finish in the 200 butterfly. The sophomore continued to excel in bright moments, earning first in the 1000 freestyle and a school record (9:43.55). In arguably the moment of the season, Smith anchored the 200 freestyle relay to clinch the program's first victory over University of Evansville with a blazing time (20.78).
Smith concluded his season on a high note with two A-Finals performances and the programs first ever swimming medalist at the Summit League Champs. The sophomore placed eighth in the 100 butterfly (49.25), while finishing with his top accomplishment in the 200 butterfly in second place (1:48.07, school record). The historic weekend made Smith the first swimmer to earn All-Summit League.
