2025 CSC Academic All-District® Swimming & Diving Women's and Men's Honorees

GREENWOOD, Ind.--A total of eight Maine Maritime Academy student-athletes--four men and women each--have been named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® Women's and Men's Swimming & Diving Teams, which were announced on Tuesday.

Representing Maine Maritime women's student-athletes were Rayelle Brewer (Cheyenne, Wyo./Cheyenne South High School), Sage Dentremont (Tremont, Maine/Mount Desert Island HS), Natasha Kopeck (Manchester Center, Vt./Burr and Burton Academy) and Liza Zhukov (Barrington, R.I.), while men's honorees include Nick Been (Tacoma, Wash./Stadium HS), John Driscoll (Newport News, Va./Peninsula Catholic HS), Thomas Murray (Mechanicsburg, Pa./ Mechanicsburg Area Senior HS) and Ponce Saltysiak (Bar Harbor, Maine/Mount Desert HS). Driscoll, Kopeck and Saltysiak were chosen by a special committee to advance to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot--giving MMA the only two men's nominees and the most national nominees (3) overall from the Little East Conference.

The basic criteria for this awards program includes student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically at their institution; undergraduate student-athlete must have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average; and student-athletes must compete in five competitions OR finish top-eight at a conference meet.

Driscoll, who is a sophomore who majors in marine systems engineering (5-year), helped the MMA men to its highest finish ever in the ECAC Championships with a school-record 63 points. The six-time All-LEC performer (50-Back/1st, 100-Back/2nd, 200-400 FR/3rd, 200-400 MR/3rd) also helped the Mariners to second place at the LEC meet during their debut season in the conference, posting five personal bests in that meet. A two-time MMA record holder, the Academic All-LEC and LEC Honor Roll choice won 11 wins over five events during the season.

A senior coastal and marine environmental science major, Kopeck is arguably the most decorated female diver in MMA history. She became the first woman in program history to achieve a podium finish at the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships in 1-meter diving, earning eighth place. The three-time CSC Academic All-District® honoree placed on the 2025 LEC Honor Roll and All-Academic Team. Kopeck, who this season achieved six wins each in diving and swimming events, helped the Mariners to their best-ever finish at the ECAC meet. Owner of six school records, including 1mD (six attempts) and 1mD (11 attempts), Kopeck serves as a Learn to Swim instructor, lifeguard and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative.

Saltysiak, a senior, studies marine transportation operations. He won the 200 IM (2:12.41) at the Husson Last Chance Meet and recorded a personal-best in the 200-breaststroke for fifth place (2:18.1) at Little East Conference Championships. He made the 2025 All-LEC Third Team in both the 400- and 800-free relays. The two-time CSC All-District® pick made the 2025 Academic All-LEC and LEC Honor Roll.

Been is a senior who majors in marine transportation operations. He was a two-time finalist at the LEC Championships, where he placed seventh in the 100-yard backstroke (1:00.52; season's best) and eighth in the 50-back with a personal-best time 27.82 seconds.

A two-time CSC All-District® pick, Brewer is a junior biology and small vessel operations major. An All-LEC Second Team standout in the 200-freestyle, she notched 13 wins across four events this season and led the Mariners with 507.55 points. The 10-time school record holder in 10 different events also had top-8 finishes in the 200-MR, 200-FR, 100-free and 800-FR at the LEC meet. Out of the pool, she serves as a Vice President for Students Living in Christ Everyday (SLICE), volunteer for Learn to Swim classes, residence hall assistant and freshman orientation leader in the MMA Admissions Office. She also works as a pool lifeguard and sailing and science instructor at Boothbay Science Center.

Dentremont makes the CSC All-District® Team for the third time in her career and is a senior marine transportation operations major. She swept LEC All-Academic and Honor Roll accolades. She established a season's best in the 50-breast (37.69) at the conference meet.

Murray, a junior, is a marine transportation operations major. At the LEC Championships, he recorded a personal record in the 100-butterfly in 1:00.43. He made both the LEC All-Academic and Honor Roll.

Zhukov repeats her CSC All-District® Team status from a season ago as the senior studies international business and logistics. She posted season bests at the LECs in the 50-back (30.19 for seventh) and 50-free (26.68). A sweep of LEC Academic and Honor Roll recognition also highlights her season.

The CSC Academic All-District® Women's and Men's Swimming & Diving teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances in the pool and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes women's and men's swimming & diving honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA. Student-athletes selected as CSC Academic All-America® finalists are denoted with an asterisk and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced April 23.

The Division II and III CSC Academic All-America® programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2024-25 Divisions II and III Academic All-America® programs.

For more information about CSC Academic All-District® and Academic All-America® Teams program, visit AcademicAllAmerica.com.