WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. - Senior Sophia Verkleeren was selected to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America team for the second consecutive year.
The CSC Academic All-America honor recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and academically. To be nominated, student-athletes must be a significant contributor to the team with at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at their current institution.
Verkleeren is a chemistry major with a 3.94 GPA. A 2024–25 team captain of the Williams Women's Swimming & Diving team, she also served as a Junior Advisor (JA) to the Class of '27, playing a vital role in fostering the Williams residential community.
Verkleeren is a four-time NCAA Champion and a 20-time NCAA All-American while winning 20 NESCAC titles—split evenly between individual and relay events. This season, she entered NESCAC Championships as the top seed in two events and came away with five NESCAC titles, including wins in the 200 butterfly, 100 butterfly, and 200 IM. Verkleeren also anchored the winning 400 medley relay and 800 freestyle relay squads. She also set NESCAC Meet Records in both the 200 butterfly and 200 IM.
Verkleeren was selected as the NESCAC Swimmer of the Year at the 2025 championship, becoming the first athlete in conference history to win the award three years in a row. She was also named the NESCAC Career High Point Winner. A three-time College Swimming Coaches Association (CSCAA) Scholar All-American, she was a Honda Cup Finalist in 2023 and earned CSC Academic All-District honors the same year.
In 2023, Verkleeren was named Swimmer of the Year by the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA), a reflection of her consistency at the national level. During that standout season, she captured NCAA titles in the 200 IM and 200 backstroke while leading the Ephs to multiple relay victories and records.
| FIRST TEAM |
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
GPA |
Major |
| Emmie Appl (3) |
Pomona-Pitzer |
Sr. |
4.00 |
Molecular Biology |
| Kate Augustyn (2) (6) |
MIT |
Sr. |
3.68 |
Biological Engineering |
| Fiora Beratahani |
MIT |
So. |
4.00 |
Mechanical Engineering |
| Sydney Geboy (1) |
Kenyon College |
Sr. |
3.85 |
Psychology & Sociology |
| Michelle Liu |
Johns Hopkins University |
Sr. |
3.93 |
Neuroscience |
| Kaley McIntyre (1) |
New York University |
Jr. |
3.80 |
History |
| Kailee Payne |
Ithaca College |
Sr. |
3.92 |
Environmental Science |
| Sophia Verkleeren (1) |
Williams College |
Sr. |
3.94 |
Chemistry |
| Gabrielle Wei |
Kenyon College |
Sr. |
3.62 |
Sociology |
| Abigail Wilkov (1) |
Case Western Reserve University |
Sr. |
4.00 |
Neuroscience |
| Karen Zhao (6) |
University of Chicago |
Sr. |
3.83 |
Business Economics & Psychology |
| SECOND TEAM |
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
GPA |
Major |
| Tess Boyer |
Wheaton College (IL) |
So. |
3.97 |
Comp. Science, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology |
| Hannah Fathman (3) |
Albion College |
Sr. |
3.97 |
Political Science, Spanish & Theatre Minor |
| Elisabella Forest |
University of Chicago |
Sr. |
3.91 |
Economics |
| Emily Harris |
Denison University |
Jr. |
3.88 |
Financial Economics |
| Claire Kozma (3) |
Case Western Reserve University |
Jr. |
4.00 |
Human Nutrition |
| Annika Naveen (2) |
MIT |
Jr. |
3.92 |
Bioengineering |
| Isabel Oldham |
New York University |
Sr. |
3.80 |
Urban Design & Architecture |
| Nicole Ranile |
New York University |
Jr. |
3.80 |
Media, Culture, & Communications |
| Taylor Rohovit (2) |
Johns Hopkins University |
Sr. |
3.86 |
Computer Science |
| THIRD TEAM |
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
GPA |
Major |
| Amy Benson |
Trinity University |
So. |
3.92 |
Biochemistry |
| Natalie Boorjian |
Emory University |
So. |
4.00 |
Biology |
| Francesca Coppo |
Pomona-Pitzer |
So. |
3.97 |
Psychology |
| Phoebe Ferguson |
Denison University |
Jr. |
3.79 |
Health, Exercise, & Sports Studies |
| Molly Haag |
Kenyon College |
Jr. |
3.77 |
Mathematics |
| Angeli Paull |
Case Western Reserve University |
Sr. |
3.86 |
Nutritional Biochemistry & Metabolism |
| Ella Pennington |
Rowan University |
Jr. |
3.89 |
Biomedical Engineering |
| Sydney Smith |
MIT |
So. |
3.92 |
Mechanical Engineering |
| Drue Thielking |
Denison University |
Jr. |
3.89 |
Biology |
| Laurel Wasiniak |
Hope College |
Jr. |
3.86 |
Chemical Engineering |
(1) - 1st team Academic All-America® in 2023-24
(2) - 2nd team Academic All-America® in 2023-24
(3) - 3rd team Academic All-America® in 2023-24
(4) - 1st team Academic All-America® in 2022-23
(5) - 2nd team Academic All-America® in 2022-23
(6) - 3rd team Academic All-America® in 2022-23
