Men's Swimming & Diving | 2/26/2026 5:12:00 PM
BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Navy's
Ben Irwin was named this year's Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men's swimming and diving, the league announced today. Additionally, he was one of six from the men's and women's teams to be named to the Patriot League All-Academic Team for the sport.
Nominees for the both the individual award and team needed to be at least a sophomore academically, have compiled a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.20 and be a key member of the team.
Irwin,
Gavin Green and
Ben Mauldin were named to the men's academic team, with
Sarah Eldridge,
Allie Maloney and
Erin Miller placed on the women's team.
Irwin became the ninth Navy men's swimmer to be tabbed as the scholar-athlete of the year. Members of the program have received the award in all but one of the last nine seasons. He himself was named to the all-academic team for the second year in a row.
Irwin carries a 3.74 grade point average as an operations research major. The junior has attained a 4.00 GPA in one semester and received academic honors from the USNA in five terms. Irwin also was named a College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Second-Team Scholar All-American in both 2024 and '25.
In the pool, the three-time first-team all-league recipient helped lead the Mids to the 2026 Patriot League Championship last week in Annapolis. He totaled 91 individual event points to finish one point behind the overall leader. Irwin won the 100 fly and 200 back events and earned automatic qualification to the NCAA Championship in both events. He also swam on Navy's 200 medley relay team and second-place finishing 400 medley relay team.
Green was named to the all-academic team for the second year in a row. The senior with a 3.93 GOA as a mathematics with economics major has posted a trio of 4.00 GPAs, has received academic honors from the USNA in six semesters and was named to the 2025 CSCAA Second Team Scholar All-America Team.
Green earned first-team all-league accolades this year after he previous received a second-team award in 2024. He tied for 12th place at this year's league meet with 78 individual event points after he placed second in the 100 breast, fourth in the200 breast and sixth in the 50 free. Green also was a member of Navy's winning 200 free relay team.
Mauldin was named to the academic team for the second year in a row. A physics major with a 3.43 GPA, Mauldin has earned academic honors from the USNA in each of his five completed semesters.
He garnered second-team all-league laurels this year after he earned a first-team award in 2025. Green too accrued 78 individual event points at this year's league meet. He finished in second place in the 1650 free and fifth in both the 500 free and 200 fly.
Women's team captain Eldridge also was named to the all-academic team in 2025. She has posted a 3.35 GPA as an ocean and atmospheric major, attained a 4.00 GPA three times and earned academic honors from the USNA in five semesters.
A four-time First-Team All-Patriot League honoree, she finished in sixth place at this year's championship with 84 points as the Mids won the team title for the 14th year in a row. She recorded second-place finishes in the 1650 free, 400 IM and 500 free events.
Maloney is appearing on the academic team in her first year of eligibility for the honor. She has tallied a 3.98 GPA as a nuclear engineering major, has posted a 4.00 GPA twice and is ranked second on her class on the Overall Order of Merit.
Maloney registered 73 points to place 14th in this year's field. She had a third-place showing in the 200 free, finished in fourth place in the 200 back and placed eighth on the 200 fly.
Miller joins Maloney in being on the academic team for the first time. The junior chemistry major with a 3.86 GPA has earned academic honor from Navy in five semesters.
She received first team honors at this year's championship after she totaled 80 individual event points to place ninth overall. This is one year after she earned second-team all-league accolades. Miler placed second in the 200 free, third in the 100 free and fifth in the 100 free at last week's meet. She also swam on Navy's second-place finishing 800 free relay team.
2026 Patriot League Women's Swimming and Diving All-Academic Team
Jenna Hart, Army West Point, So.; Angie McKane, Army West Point, So.; Cora Webber, Army West Point, So.; Molly Webber, Army West Point, Sr.; Haley Newman, Boston University, Sr.; Jennifer Bolden, Bucknell, Sr.; Sydney Dettmann, Bucknell, Jr.; Kyla Kelly, Bucknell, Sr.; Clara Renner, Bucknell, So.; Audrey Collins, Colgate, Sr.; MG King, Colgate, Jr.; Caitlin Deitch, Lehigh, Sr.; Mairin Ludwig, Lehigh, Sr.; Riley Fried, Loyola Maryland, Jr.; Haley Robinson, Loyola Maryland, Jr.;
Sarah Eldridge, Navy, Sr.;
Allie Maloney, Navy, So.;
Erin Miller, Navy, Jr.
2026 Patriot League Men's Swimming and Diving All-Academic Team
Joey Kling, Army West Point. Jr.; Alex Zhang, Army West Point, Sr.; Tony Ponomarev, Boston University, Sr.; Charles Schreiner, Boston University, So.; Braden Beagle, Bucknell, Sr.; Jack Krug, Bucknell, Sr.; James Lombardi, Bucknell, Jr.; Matt Freund, Colgate, Sr.; Michael Granin, Colgate, So.; Jack Greiner, Holy Cross, Sr.; Jack Deppe, Lehigh, So.; Brennan Coyle, Loyola Maryland, So.; Joe Hayburn, Loyola Maryland, Sr.; Sam Hersick, Loyola Maryland, Jr.; Hans van Lierop, Loyola Maryland, Jr.;
Gavin Green, Navy, Sr.;
Ben Irwin, Navy, Jr.;
Ben Mauldin, Navy, Jr.
