Thirty-two girls swimmers from Colorado prep programs achieved Academic All-American status from the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA), which issued its national list Wednesday.
Seven student athletes from Regis Jesuit and three from Grandview — which finished second and fifth, respectively, at the Class 5A girls state swim meet in February — submitted applications and met the organization’s criteria: being a graduated senior who lettered in that season with a high school program (in swimming, diving or water polo) who maintained a minimum Grade Point Average of 3.750 on a 4 point scale or 93.7500% of the grade scale their school used for 7 semesters/11 trimesters.
Coach Nick Frasersmith’s Regis Jesuit team (the 5A runner-up to Cherry Creek in the pool) saw the group of swimmers Samantha Aguirre, Meredith Garnsey, Hannah Lawson, Sophia Mitsuoka, Molly Nichols and Elizabeth West and diver Reece Barry make the academic cut.
It was the second NISCA All-American honor for Aguirre and Mitsuoka, who both were on relay teams that achieved top-100 status in the pool. Aguirre (who is headed to swim at the U.S. Naval Academy, where her brother, Gio, also goes) teamed with fellow senior Sophia Frei, junior Charlotte Burnham and freshman Taylor Johnannsen on the country’s 31st-fastest 400 yard freestyle relay, while Mitsuoka plus Frei, Burnham and sophomore Taylor Hoffman were tied for 34th-fastest in the 200 yard medley relay.
One of Grandview’s two NISCA All-American swimmers — Paige Dailey — added Academic All-American honors for her final prep season. The Cal-Davis signee (who tied for the 41st-fastest performance in the 100 yard breaststroke and finished as the 5A runner-up) plus Megan Doubrava and Kya Guikema earned the academic honors for coach Karen Ammon’s Wolves, who had their best team finish at the state meet in 15 years.
Doubrava (who is headed to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy) and the Azusa Pacific-bound Guikema both scored in two individual events to help Grandview’s cause at the state meet.
The Wolves annually contend for one of NISCA’s Scholar Team awards, which have been yet been announced.
Colorado student athletes from Fairview, Glenwood Springs, Legacy, Legend, Mountain Vista and Stargate Charter School also earned girls Academic All-American honors.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2022-23 NISCA COLORADO GIRLS SWIMMING/DIVING ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS
SAMANTHA AGUIRRE, swim (REGIS JESUIT); REECE BARRY, dive (REGIS JESUIT); Ashlyn Brown, swim (Fairview); PAIGE DAILEY, swim (GRANDVIEW); MEGAN DOUBRAVA, swim (GRANDVIEW); Sophie Elings, swim (Fairview); MEREDITH CECILY GARNSEY, swim (REGIS JESUIT); KYA GUIKEMA, swim (GRANDVIEW); Kelsie He, swim (Mountain Vista); Sydney Inman, swim (Fairview); Ashley Jackson, swim (Legend); Kathryn Bennett Jones, swim (Glenwood Springs); Mai Kawahata, swim (Mountain Vista); HANNAH LAWSON, swim (REGIS JESUIT); Angelina Mackay, swim (Fairview); Samantha Mircetic, swim (Mountain Vista); SOPHIA MITSUOKA, swim (REGIS JESUIT); Shruti Narwaney, swim (Mountain Vista); Isabella Newell, swim (Mountain Vista); MOLLY NICHOLS, swim (REGIS JESUIT); Ava Nguyễn, swim, Mountain Vista; Julia Russell, swim (Mountain Vista); Azra Sarak, swim (Mountain Vista); Ceyda Sarak, swim (Mountain Vista); Edith Simecek, swim (Fairview); Chelsea Smith, swim (Mountain Vista); Mackenzie Smith, swim (Mountain Vista); Kyla Stroker, swim (Fairview); Jordan Swearingen, swim. (Legacy); ELIZABETH WEST, swim (REGIS JESUIT); Kimberly Whitmore, swim (Mountain Vista); Allison Xiu, swim (Stargate Charter School)
