Banana Slugs Honored on CSCAA Scholar All-America Teams
7/6/2026 12:01:00 PM | Women's Swim and Dive, Men's Swim and Dive
SANTA CRUZ, Ca. – The College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) has officially announced its Scholar All-America Teams and Individual selections for the 2025-26 season, featuring a standout contingency of UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs earning individual accolades alongside team honors for both the men's and women's programs.
Both UC Santa Cruz programs earned the prestigious Scholar All-America Team award by maintaining a cumulative team GPA well above the required 3.00 standard for the Spring 2026 semester. The academic success mirrors a historic year in the pool, following a season where the Slugs sent multiple individuals and relay teams to the NCAA Division III National Championships.
Individually, the Banana Slugs placed multiple student-athletes on the Scholar All-America lists, highlighting their elite balance of rigorous UC Santa Cruz academics and championship-level athletic performance.
Qualification Standards
UC Santa Cruz Individual Honorees
National CSCAA Overview
Across the country, the CSCAA recognized 714 teams from 418 institutions representing 16,680 student-athletes who hit the standard of a 3.00 GPA or higher during the Spring 2026 semester. Additionally, over 2,230 individual swimmers and divers across all NCAA divisions met the rigorous academic and athletic marks required to be named individual Scholar All-Americans.
For a complete look at the national honors, visit the official CSCAA Individual Awards Announcement and the CSCAA Spring Team Awards Page.
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Both UC Santa Cruz programs earned the prestigious Scholar All-America Team award by maintaining a cumulative team GPA well above the required 3.00 standard for the Spring 2026 semester. The academic success mirrors a historic year in the pool, following a season where the Slugs sent multiple individuals and relay teams to the NCAA Division III National Championships.
Individually, the Banana Slugs placed multiple student-athletes on the Scholar All-America lists, highlighting their elite balance of rigorous UC Santa Cruz academics and championship-level athletic performance.
Qualification Standards
- First-Team Scholar All-America: Student-athletes must have earned a cumulative or semester GPA of 3.50 or higher and participated in their respective national championship.
- Second-Team Scholar All-America: Student-athletes must have earned a GPA of 3.50 or higher and achieved an NCAA "B" qualifying time standard or participated in an NCAA diving zone qualification meet.
| Student-Athlete | Major / Field of Study | Team Distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Men's Team Honorees | ||
| Kyle Reitan | Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology | First Team |
| Andrew Koika | Human Biology | First Team |
| Massimo Reyna | Environmental Studies | Second Team |
| Charles Shortt | Technology & Information Management | Second Team |
| Michael Fusinati | Computer Science | Second Team |
| Women's Team Honorees | ||
| Taylor O'Malley | Marine Biology | First Team |
| Paige Vicente | Psychology | First Team |
| Briseis Valenzuela | Human Biology | First Team |
| Honour Dufresne | Ecology & Evolution | Second Team |
| Ruby Sanchez | Cognitive Science | Second Team |
| Gretta Bellin | Legal Studies | Second Team |
| Lillian Wolfinger | Biomolecular Engineering | Second Team |
National CSCAA Overview
Across the country, the CSCAA recognized 714 teams from 418 institutions representing 16,680 student-athletes who hit the standard of a 3.00 GPA or higher during the Spring 2026 semester. Additionally, over 2,230 individual swimmers and divers across all NCAA divisions met the rigorous academic and athletic marks required to be named individual Scholar All-Americans.
For a complete look at the national honors, visit the official CSCAA Individual Awards Announcement and the CSCAA Spring Team Awards Page.
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Players Mentioned
IM
/ Women's Swim and Dive
Distance Free
/ Women's Swim and Dive
Distance Free/IM
/ Men's Swim and Dive
Free/Fly
/ Men's Swim and Dive
Dive
/ Women's Swim and Dive
Sprint Free/Fly
/ Men's Swim and Dive
Free
/ Men's Swim and Dive
Fly
/ Women's Swim and Dive
Dive
/ Men's Swim and Dive
Dive
/ Women's Swim and Dive
Dive
/ Women's Swim and Dive
Breast/IM
/ Women's Swim and Dive
