SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 16, 2026) – Four members of the Western New England women's swimming team have earned honors on the 2025-26 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team, all for the first time in their respective careers. 

In order to be named to the CSC Academic All-District Team, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale). The student-athlete must also be at least a sophomore academically and have competed in four competitions or finished in the top eight at a conference meet. The top four student-athletes with the highest grade point average are put forward as nominees. 

Western New England junior Bella Giard earns honors for the first time in her first season in Blue and Gold. Giard raced in every meet for the Golden Bears this past season, completing multiple personal best times throughout the year. Giard's best swims of the season came in a home meet against Westfield State University, where the East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, native came away with a pair of first-place finishes, the 50-yard backstroke and 100-yard backstroke, while also taking third in the 50-yard freestyle for the Golden Bears. Giard went on to pick up a pair of personal bests at the Little East Conference Championships in the 50-yard freestyle to round out the season. 

Sophomore Sarah Morrissey is also a first-year member of the WNE women's swimming team. Morrissey impressed right off the bat to open the season, taking a pair of fourth-place finishes for Western New England in a dual meet victory over UMass-Dartmouth, racing in the 50-yard freestyle and 50-yard backstroke. Morrissey recorded three personal best times at the Little East Conference Championships.

Senior Ella Smith is prominently featured all over the Western New England women's swimming record books, having collected 12 individual records in her year-and-a-half with the program. Smith was twice named Little East Conference Swimmer of the Year and took LEC Swimmer of the Week honors eight times during the 2025-26 season. Smith took first place in every individual event at the Little East Conference Championships. 

Alexandra Watroba was also impressive in her first season with the WNE women's swimming team. Watroba came up with five personal best times at the LEC Championships to conclude the season, including the 100-yard IM, 200-yard backstroke, 200-yard freestyle, and 400-yard IM events. Watroba took first place in multiple events this season.

Western New England women's swimming took seventh place at the Little East Conference Championships this season, capping off the 28^th season in program history.