SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Following the conclusion of the 2025-26 season, Notre Dame swimming and diving celebrated the year’s accomplishments with its annual awards.
The following student-athletes were recognized:
Don Casey MVP Award — Carli Cronk, Grace Courtney, Marcus Reyes-Gentry & Daniel Knapp
Cronk and Courtney both earned the Most Valuable honor for the second straight year. Cronk made the NCAA Championships for the second time in as many tries and earned a spot on the CSCAA All-America Second Team in both the 200 fly and 800 free relay. After breaking the school records in the 500 free and 400 IM last season, Cronk added the 200 fly to her resume this year (1:52.59).
Courtney made NCAA Championships for the third time, competing in both the 1-meter and the 3-meter this season. She posted a standout performance at ACC Championships in the events, taking fifth in the 3-meter (294.80) and sixth in the 1-meter (284.50). Throughout the course of the season, the senior won five individual events and was named ACC Diver of the Week on Oct. 28.
This season, Reyes-Gentry broke school records in the 50 and 100 back (20.56/44.07) and earned a spot on the CSCAA All-America First Team in the latter as well. He placed seventh in the nation at NCAA Championships in the 100 back along with 23rd in the 100 fly.
Knapp earned a spot on the CSCAA All-America Second Team this year after finishing 13th in the 3-meter at NCAA Championships (371.70). A senior, Knapp won three individual events in dual meets this year and placed fifth in the 3-meter at the ACC Championships (362.50).
Most Improved — Lainey Mullins, Claire Feick, Gus MacDonald & Matthew Wong
Mullins made a huge leap during her junior season, qualifying for her first NCAA Championships in the 200 fly. She swam best times in the 200 fly (1:56.04), 500 free (4:44.78) and 200 IM (2:01.29) over the course of the season. In program history, Mullins now ranks sixth all-time in the 500 free and fifth all-time in the 200 fly.
Feick recorded her best finish to date at ACC Championships this year, finishing ninth in the 3-meter (282.65). She also recorded eight top-eight finishes in dual meets.
MacDonald posted a plethora of best times through the year, notching personal records in the 500 free (4:20.51), 200 breast (1:56.36) and 400 IM (3:44.73). His 200 breast now ranks ninth in school history, and he is fifth in the 400 IM, an event in which he also finished 13th at ACC Championships.
While he is just a freshman, Wong made strides throughout the season. He ended his dual meet season with a win in the 1-meter (337.43) at Kentucky, and he competed in both the 1-meter (225.85) and 3-meter (293.10) at ACC Championships.
Freshman of the Year — Emily Hamill, Ellie Lee & Jackson Armour
Three Irish showed out in their inaugural campaigns, with Hamill and Armour both making NCAA Championships. A backstroker, Hamill swam the 100 and 200 back at NCAA Championships, and she ranks third all-time in program history in the 100 back (52.41) and fifth all-time in the 200 back (1:53.89). Her 500 free time of 4:45.46 is 10th in program history as well, and she was a part of record-breaking 400 free and 400 medley relays this season.
Armour now ranks second in the 100 breast (51.77) and fifth in the 200 breast (1:53.80) in program history, and he competed on the 200 and 400 medley relays at NCAA Championships. The rookie won four individual events during the regular season and posted top-16 finishes at ACC Championships in both the 100 and 200 breast.
In the diving well, Lee competed in eight meets and posted a pair of top-24 finishes in the 3-meter (241.45) and the platform (175.66) at ACC Championships. She earned her first collegiate victory at the Tim Welsh Classic, placing first in the 1-meter (312.25).
Weight Room Warrior — Hollie Widdows, Claire Feick, Gus MacDonald & Daniel Knapp
Widdows, a sophomore, went best times in the 50, 100 and 200 free (22.45/48.12/1:47.04) along with the 100 fly this year (52.95). She now holds the school record in the 100 free and ranks 10th in the 50 free and eighth in the 100 fly.
Feick and MacDonald’s work in the weight room clearly paid off, as they were named Most Improved above. Knapp was also this year’s diving MVP, and he was named to the CSCAA All-America Second Team.
Reaney Award — Grace Brenneman
This honor is given to a female swimmer who exemplifies what it means to be a champion in the pool and in the classroom, as a teammate and in life. It is named after Emma Reaney, who was the first NCAA champion for Notre Dame swimming and set an American record in the process.
A senior leader and local product from Elkhart, Ind., Brenneman won the Reaney Award for the second time in her Irish career (2023-24) and has been nothing but a positive influence on the program. A sprint specialist, Brenneman holds the program record in the 50 meter free and was a four-year member of the ACC Championships Team. She will remain in South Bend after graduation to pursue a job in development at Notre Dame.
Blanchard Award — Dillon Edge
An award given annually to the swimmer or diver who by performance, inspiration and leadership has exemplified the personal qualities of former Notre Dame swimmer and Irish captain Charles W. Blanchard.
Named a captain in his final season in South Bend, Edge posted a historic Notre Dame career. The winner of the 2024 Captains Award and Knute Rockne Scholar-Athlete Award, Edge was a 2024 NCAA qualifier and ranks second in program history in the 200 IM (1:43.63). He is a two-time member of the All-ACC Academic Team as well. Following graduation, Edge will move to Chicago to work for LaSalle Investment Management.
Beeler Hipp Award — Becky Rentz, Brady Calkins & Edward Nyman
To honor the 1991-92 men’s and women’s swim teams for their courage, discipline and love for one another displayed during the season, this award is given annually to an outstanding freshman who best exemplifies the vitality, competitiveness and love for Notre Dame shown by Meghan Beeler and Colleen Hipp.
Rentz earned a spot competing on relays at the NCAA Championships and was named to the CSCAA All-America Second Team in the 800 free relay. Part of the team that broke the school record in the 400 free relay, Rentz also ranks third in school history in the 200 free (1:45.16).
Calkins competed until the very end for Notre Dame this season, notching a personal best in the 200 back at the Louisville Last Chance Meet in March (1:44.05).
Nyman was a team player all season, even traveling to Zone C Championships with the team in March to volunteer on deck. He competed in six meets throughout the year, and his best finish was a fifth-place showing at Miami (FL) (157.65).
Rockne Scholar-Athlete Award — Mary Codevilla, Katie Raby, Jeremy Kelly & Ben Nguyen
Named in honor of legendary Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne, this honor is presented by the Notre Dame Club of St. Joseph Valley to a student-athlete who excels both academically and athletically.
Both Codevilla and Raby made the ACC Championships this year and earned top-24 finishes. Codevilla placed 18th in the 100 breast (1:00.92) and was part of the record-breaking 400 medley relay that placed seventh. Raby took 14th in the platform (202.50) and 22nd in the 1-meter (226.40). In the classroom, Codevilla, a senior, will earn her degree this spring in science pre-professional, while Raby is majoring in applied computational math and statistics.
Kelly and Nguyen both made NCAA Championships this year and were ACC Championships finalists. Kelly broke the school record in the 200 IM at ACC’s (1:42.46), finishing eighth. Nguyen took seventh in the 3-meter (330.65). Kelly is majoring in computer science and was named a College Sports Communicators Academic All-America finalist, and Nguyen will earn his degree in science pre-professional in May.
Captains Award — Gretchen Lueking & Jeremy Kelly
The honor is given annually by team captains and graduating seniors in memory of former Irish captain Patrick Reilly McManus to the individual who best exemplifies the term teammate and represents the future leadership and vision of our program.
This year’s winners of the Captains Award are honored for their high character. Lueking and Kelly, a senior and sophomore, respectively, can always be found cheering on their teammates, providing support, and serving as exemplary representatives of Notre Dame.
Tim Welsh Award — Carlie McGregor
Named for legendary Notre Dame coach Tim Welsh, this award is given to a friend of the program who has made a significant contribution to the success of Irish student-athletes.
Carlie serves as the Thomas and Julie Carey Sports Psychologist and works with the swimming and diving programs, among others.
Performances of the Year —
- Carli Cronk, Emily Hamill, Becky Rentz and Hollie Widdows at ACC Championships —
- The quartet posted a new school record time of 3:13.04 in the 400 free relay, finishing seventh. As a group, the underclassmen made seven finals over the course of the meet highlighted by Cronk’s fourth-place finish in the 200 fly.
- Grace Courtney at ACC Championships
- The senior placed fifth in the 3-meter (294.80) and sixth in the 1-meter (284.50) at the meet, posting a pair of top-eight finishes for the second time in her career.
- Marcus Reyes-Gentry at NCAA Championships
- With a 100 back time of 44.14, the senior earned CSCAA All-America First Team status. He also went 44.07 in prelims, setting the program record, and finished 23rd in the 100 fly (45.23).
- Daniel Knapp at NCAA Championships
- Knapp finished 13th in the 3-meter (371.70), earning a spot on the CSCAA All-America Second Team.