Swim & Dive Lands Five on Academic All-Patriot League Team

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Five Bucknell swimmers were voted to the 2023 Academic All-Patriot League Team, the league office announced Wednesday. It's the most honorees the men's and women's teams have combined for since 2016. Bucknell had the second-most athletes chosen behind only Navy (6).

On the women's side, Catherine Craig, Caroline McGann and Sabrina Vumbacco were each recognized. Justin DiSanto and Chris Kopac, both sophomores, represented the men's team. All five Bison were also named to the All-Patriot League Team last week.

Craig and Vumbacco both became two-time members of the Academic All-Patriot League Team after earning the award last season.

Craig, a senior economics and psychology major, totaled 27 points in the Patriot League Championships. She finished fifth in the 200 breaststroke and sixth in the 400 IM. She added a seventh-place finish in the 100 breaststroke and a sixth-place finish in the 200 breaststroke in the ECAC Championships. She ranks in the program's top 10 in three individual events and two relays.

Vumbacco, who led the Bison with 42 points at the Patriot League Championships, earned two individual medals and two more in relays. She won the 1650 freestyle after previously finishing second and third in the event as a junior and freshman. She also took silver in the 500 freestyle while winning bronze as part of both the 200 medley relay team, which set a school record, and the 800 freestyle relay team.

Vumbacco, a psychology major, swam the second-fastest 500 freestyle time (4:48.23) during the championships. She was named Patriot League Swimmer of the Week back in January after posting two individual wins and a relay victory in Bucknell's dual meet win over Lehigh. At last weekend's ECAC Championships, Vumbacco swam the first leg of Bucknell's winning 800 freestyle relay. She also added a fourth-place finish in the 200 butterfly at ECACs.

McGann, an economics and geography major, scored 37 points at the Patriot League Championships. She earned a bronze medal as part of the 800 freestyle relay team as well. In individual events, she took fifth in the 1650 freestyle, seventh in the 200 freestyle and eighth in the 500 freestyle. Her 200 freestyle time (1:49.98) ranks seventh in program history.

McGann has been an active member of Bucknell's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, serving on the executive board as director of communications.

Kopac, a business analytics major, totaled 41 points at the league championships. He swam the anchor leg of Bucknell's third-place 800 freestyle relay team and just missed a medal in the 200 freestyle with a fourth-place finish. He also took fifth in the 1650 freestyle and seventh in the 500 freestyle. He was even better at ECACs, taking second in the 400 freestyle and fifth in the 200.

DiSanto posted 36 points at the Patriot League Championships, earning points in seven different events. He finished among the top eight in three individual events, including a fifth-place finish in the 100 freestyle. DiSanto has been part of three record-setting relay teams and ranks second all-time in the 100 freestyle.

This is the first time since 2017 that Bucknell's men's team has had multiple Academic All-Patriot League honorees.

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 Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Mimi Watts, American, Jr.

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.

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.