BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Adding to a growing list of impressive honors, junior Mimi Watts of American University swimming & diving has been named the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year in her sport. Watts, who earned selection to the PL All-Academic Team for a second year in a row, was joined by teammates Nick Buckley and Caleb Farris who both earned PL All-Academic Team honors for the men.

Watts boasts a 3.88 GPA as a mathematics and economics major, and was also named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team. She has twice been named to the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America's (CSCAA) Scholar All-America team, being the first for American to earn that honor since 2010 when she first got it in 2021.

The PL Women's Swimmer of the Meet (first for AU since 2006), Watts won gold medals at the PL Championship in the 50 free, 100 free and 100 fly. She set individual school records in all three, got a pool and meet record in the 100 fly, had two NCAA "B" cuts, and was also a part of two relay school records. One week later, she earned another gold medal in the 100 fly at the ECAC Championships.

Buckley and Farris, also juniors at AU, were named to the 12-member PL All-Academic Team for men's swimming & diving. Buckley, with a 4.0 GPA as a law and politics major, is a repeat honoree after earning his first such honor one year ago. Farris boasts a 3.8 GPA as a biology major. Buckley took fifth place for a second year in a row in the 50 free at the PL Championships, tying his own school record of 20.20. He was also a part of a relay school record in the 200 medley relay (1:30.07). Farris was a member of that same school record-setting 200 medley relay team at PL Championships, and individually he advanced to two consolation finals in the 100 free (PR 45.43) and the 100 fly (PR 48.62). Farris finished 12th overall in the 100 fly, and swam on all four relays for the men's program at the PL Championships.

For more information on AU swim and dive, follow the team on Twitter (@AU_SwimDive), Facebook (@AU.SwimDive) and Instagram (@au_swim_dive).

2023 Patriot League Women's Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Mimi Watts, American, Jr.
2023 Patriot League Men's Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Jackson Schultz, Navy, Sr.

2023 Patriot League Women's Swimming and Diving Academic All-League Team*
Mimi Watts, American, Jr.
Meghan Cole, Army West Point, So.
Sumi Cameron, Boston University, Jr.
Clarissa Hoyt, Boston University, Jr.
Catherine Craig, Bucknell, Sr.
Caroline McGann, Bucknell, Jr.
Sabrina Vumbacco, Bucknell, Sr.
Sarah Hardy, Lehigh, Sr.
Natalie Martin, Lehigh, So.
Lily Mead, Loyola Maryland, Jr.
Gabi Baldwin, Navy, Jr.
Cameron Horner, Navy, Jr.
Caroline Irwin, Navy, So.

* Due to a tie in voting, there are 13 student-athletes on the women's academic team.

2023 Patriot League Men's Swimming and Diving Academic All-League Team
Nick Buckley, American, Jr.
Caleb Farris, American, Jr.
James Pinter, Army West Point, Jr.
Will Rankin, Army West Point, Sr.
Justin DiSanto, Bucknell, So.
Chris Kopac, Bucknell, So.
Jimmy Hayburn, Loyola Maryland, So.
Henry Mueller, Loyola Maryland, So.
Max Verheyen, Loyola Maryland, Sr.
Patrick Colwell, Navy, Jr.
James Lee, Navy, Sr.
Jackson Schultz, Navy, Sr.