courtesy: SEC
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (April 28, 2026) – Four athletes from programs in the Southeastern Conference were named to the 2025-26 Academic All- America® women’s swimming & diving teams selected by College Sports Communicators.
Emily Jones of Alabama and Erin Gemmell of Texas were named to the First Team. Jones, the 2026 SEC Women’s Swimming & Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and Gemmell are two of the seven members of the Academic All-America® Division I women’s swimming & diving teams who boast a perfect 4.0 GPA in their undergraduate work or graduate school. Anita Bottazzo of Florida and Sophie Verzyl of South Carolina earned a spot on the Second Team.
FIRST TEAM
| Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
| Emily Jones^ | Alabama | Sr. | 4.00 | Sport Management |
| Erin Gemmell | Texas | Jr. | 4.00 | Plan II Honors |
SECOND TEAM
| Name | School | Yr. | GPA | Major |
| Anita Bottazzo | Florida | So. | 3.76 | Biotechnology |
| Sophie Verzyl | South Carolina | Sr. | 3.80/3.80 | Sport & Entertainment Management (G) |
^ – 3rd team Academic All-America® in 2024-25
I swear all the best swimmers are so smart.
Alabama has a 4.3 grading scale. I don’t understand how Bama kids get recognized for having a perfect 4.0 when it is based on 4.3 scale. SMH
“The Plan II Honors Program at UT Austin is a prestigious, four-year interdisciplinary liberal arts major established in 1935, enrolling approximately 175–185 freshmen annually. Known for small, discussion-based seminars and a mandatory senior thesis, it offers a rigorous, broad education designed to produce leaders across various fields”
What in the world is plan II honors
It’s a super competetive liberal arts program The creme of the crop at UT
It’s Texas’s Honors Program for Liberal Arts. They get like 2,500 apps for 175 spots each year.
What kind of professionals does such a program produce?
Very impressive young women.