EVANSVILLE, Ind.- University of Southern Indiana Swimming and Diving had eight athletes named to the College Sports Communications Academic All-District team for NCAA Division I. 
 
To be eligible for the CSC Academic All-District Award, the student-athlete must possess a minimum of a 3.5 cumulative grade point average (4.0 scale) as an undergraduate and graduate (if applicable). They must have reached a sophomore athletic and academic standing at the institution. Eligible nominees must compete in four competitions or finish top eight at a conference championship meet. 
 
The Screaming Eagles earned eight honorees on this year's list. On the men's side, sophomore Joey Smith, sophomore Sam Smith, junior Lane Pollock, and sophomore Nathan Deputy represented the Eagles. On the women's side, junior Sarah-Catherine Dawson, junior Mattilynn Smith, sophomore Hayden Shurtz, and sophomore Caiya Cooper also earned a spots on the list for a record amount of honorees.
 
Joey Smith, a computer science major, competed in 10 meets for the Eagles in his first year at USI. Smith had a career meet at the 2025 Summit League Championships, earning six personal best event times and two season best performances. The sophomore transfer also broke the 50 freestyle school record in the conference meet (20.65).
 
Sam Smith, an Accounting and Professional Services major, excelled in his sophomore season earning multiple school firsts for Eagles. Smith set three USI records starting with the 1000 freestyle (9:43.55) record against University of Evansville. Smith broke the 100 butterfly (49.05) and 200 butterfly (1:48.07) on the biggest stage at the 2025 Summit League Championships. His crowning achievement occurred in is 200 butterfly performance, becoming the first Eagle swimmer to ever medal at the conference championships earning silver. Smith also earned Summit League Academic All-League and All-Conference.
 
Pollock, a finance major, recorded a career season earning A-Finals in both the one-meter and three-meter diving events at the conference championships. Pollock shattered the one-meter diving record with an impressive score of 287.50 pts at the University of Illinois-Chicago Diving Meet. He also earned a personal best in the three-meter event, scoring 293.20 pts at the 2025 Summit League Championships. He also had an outstanding performance at the A3 Performance Invitational, finishing third in the one-meter diving finals with a score of 250.90 pts. Pollock also earned Summit League Academic All-League and All-Conference as an outstanding student.
 
Deputy, a sport management major, sits atop the USI record books with a monstrous score of 304.20 pts in the three-meter event against Eastern Illinois University. He also improved heavily in the one-meter diving event, recording a personal best score of 293.20 pts at the 2025 Summit League Championships. The Evansville natives score of 294.60 pts at the conference meet in the three-meter, marked his first A-Finalist mark at the event.
 
Dawson, an exercise science major, was a member of the USI record-setting 200 Medley Relay (1:45.16) squad. The junior ranked top five on the team in the 200 IM, 400 IM, 50 Fly, 100 Fly, and the 200 Fly. Dawson earned points for the Eagles in the conference meet, placing 15^th in the 200 Butterfly B-Finals. She is the lone Eagle who has won the award twice in her career in both opportunities.
 
Mattilynn Smith, a nutrition major, helped the Eagles 800 freestyle relay team earn the top spot in the record books with a 7:40.49 performance at the conference meet. The junior had a personal best 500 freestyle (5:04.91) performance in the Summit League Championships. Smith's time qualified for the B-Finals and earned valuable points for the Eagles.
 
Shurtz, a psychology major, had an impressive 2024-25 campaign headlined by earning her first career A-Finals in the conference meet. The sophomore placed eighth in the 100 backstroke (1:04.06), adding 11 points. Shurtz contributed the record-breaking 200 and 400 medley relay, along with 200 freestyle relay. The sophomore standout ranked top three on the team in the 50 breast, 100 breast, 200 breast, 200 IM, and the 400 IM.
 
Cooper, a pre-nursing major, excelled as one of the top swimmers for USI earning two individual records. She earned B-Finals in the conference meet with a record breaking 500 freestyle (5:03.37) mark, finishing 11^th overall. She also helped her 200 freestyle relay squad, posting an additional record individually with her leadoff (1:52.95). Cooper contributed to three other relay records in the 400 freestyle relay, 800 freestyle relay, and the 400 medley relay. The sophomore continued to improve meet by meet, resetting her freestyle personal and school bests.
 
These eight swimmers helped the Eagles take leaps forward in year three of the program's existence. The men saw victories over Northern Kentucky University and Valparaiso at the beginning of the season, along with capturing the program's first victory over crosstown rival, Evansville. The women finished above .500 at 5-4 in head-to-head meets for the first time in program history, snatching victories over NKU, Valparaiso, Eastern Illinois University, and Evansville (twice). Both squads are making improvements in the conference meet as the women jumped by 115 points from 2024, while the men improved by 94 points.