BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Navy junior Ben Irwin and Army West Point senior Molly Webber were named the 2026 Patriot League Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athletes of the Year, respectively, when the League office announced the honors on Thursday.
Irwin and Webber were named to their respective 18-member Academic All-Patriot League Teams, comprised of other swimming and diving student-athletes from the Patriot League. Eight of the 10 schools were represented on this year’s Academic All-Patriot League men’s and women’s teams, with Bucknell placing seven members on the two teams (four women, three men), while Army West Point (four women, two men), Loyola Maryland (four men, two women) and Navy (three men, three women) each had six selections.
Navy’s Irwin was joined by teammates senior Gavin Green (mathematics with economics, 3.93) and junior Ben Mauldin (physics, 3.43) on the Patriot League Men’s All-Academic Team. Army West Point seniors Joey Kling (mechanical engineering, 3.71) and Alex Zhang (engineering management, 3.64), Boston University senior Tony Ponomarev (mathematics and computer science, 3.73) and sophomore Charles Schreiner (business administration and management/Spanish minor, 3.80), Bucknell senior Braden Beagle (accounting, 3.88), senior Jack Krug (economics, 3.48) and junior James Lombardi (biology, 3.78), Colgate senior Matt Freund (neuroscience, 3.75) and sophomore Michael Granin (undeclared, 3.76), Holy Cross senior Jack Greiner (economics and religious studies, 3.58), Lehigh sophomore Jack Deppe (mechanical engineering, 3.31), Loyola Maryland sophomore Brennan Coyle (finance, 3.91), senior Joe Hayburn (information systems and data analytics and finance, double major/marketing and innovation and entrepreneurship, minor, 4.0), junior Sam Hersick (computer science, 3.98) and junior Hans van Lierop (computer science, 3.98) rounded out the men’s all-academic team selections.
On the women’s side, Army West Point’s Webber was accompanied by sophomore teammates Jenn Hart (biology, 3.89), Angie McKane (systems engineering major, 3.51), and Cora Webber (law & legal studies, 3.93) on the Patriot League Women’s All-Academic Team. Boston University senior Haley Newman (English, English education, minor, 3.40), Bucknell senior Jennifer Bolden (business analytics, 3.93), junior Sydney Dettmann (economics, 3.91), senior Kyla Kelly (neuroscience, 3.93) and sophomore Clara Renner (undecided, 3.80), Colgate senior Audrey Collins (political science & religion, 3.49) and junior MG King (classics, 4.00), Lehigh seniors Caitlin Deitch (mechanical engineering, 3.72) and Mairin Ludwig (international relations, 3.81), Loyola Maryland juniors Riley Fried (English & political science, 3.96) and Haley Robinson (marketing, 3.93), Navy senior Sarah Eldridge (ocean & atmospheric sciences, 3.35), sophomore Allie Maloney (nuclear engineering, 3.98) and junior Erin Miller (chemistry, 3.86) completed the women’s all-academic team members.
To be eligible for the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award and the Academic All-Patriot League Team, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average and be a starter or key player within their sport. Freshmen or student-athletes in their first academic year at their school are not eligible for the honor.
The Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year for each sport comprises the pool of nominees for the Patriot League Men’s and Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards given out during the summer.
These honors recognize student-athletes who excel in their sport and the classroom. The awards are voted on by Patriot League men’s and women’s swimming and diving sports information directors, who are not eligible to vote for their student-athletes.
2026 Patriot League Men’s Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Ben Irwin, Navy, Jr., Buford, Ga./Buford
*Irwin holds a 3.74 GPA as he pursues his bachelor’s degree in Operations Research at the United States Naval Academy.
*The junior is a two-time Academic All-Patriot League Team selection (2025) and a three-time First Team All-Patriot League honoree (2024-26).
*Irwin finished as the Midshipmen’s top point-scorer at the 2026 Patriot League Championships with 91 points, which was second overall.
*He won the 100-yard butterfly and 200-yard backstroke, to go along with a third-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke.
*Additionally, he guided Navy to the 200-yard medley relay title, while swimming on the second-place 400-yard medley relay squad.
*The 2024 Patriot League Rookie of the Year qualified for this year’s NCAA Championships in two individual events.
*The Buford, Ga. native is a two-time CSCAA Second Team Scholar All-America selection and was honored on the USNA’s Superintendent’s List once.
2026 Patriot League Women’s Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Molly Webber, Army West Point, Sr., Morris Plains, N.J./Morristown
*Webber maintains a 3.87 GPA as she pursues her bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at the United States Military Academy.
*The senior is a three-time Academic All-Patriot League Team selection (2024-26) and earned First Team All-Patriot League honors four times.
*Webber captured seven gold medals at this year’s Patriot League Championships and finished as the Women’s Highest Point Scorer for the third time in her career, alongside teammate Angie McKane with 96 points.
*The Morris Plains, N.J. native was the first woman in League history to four-peat in the 500-yard freestyle and three-peat in the 200-yard freestyle.
*Additionally, Webber helped Army West Point sweep the relay events, while also becoming the first Black Knight woman to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
2026 Patriot League Men’s Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Ben Irwin, Navy, Jr.
2026 Patriot League Women’s Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Molly Webber, Army West Point, Sr.
2026 Women’s Swimming and Diving Academic All-Patriot League Team
Jenna Hart, Army West Point, So.
Angie McKane, Army West Point, So.
Cora Webber, Army West Point, So.
Molly Webber, Army West Point, Sr.
Haley Newman, Boston University, Sr.
Jennifer Bolden, Bucknell, Sr.
Sydney Dettmann, Bucknell, Jr.
Kyla Kelly, Bucknell, Sr.
Clara Renner, Bucknell, So.
Audrey Collins, Colgate, Sr.
MG King, Colgate, Jr.
Caitlin Deitch, Lehigh, Sr.
Mairin Ludwig, Lehigh, Sr.
Riley Fried, Loyola Maryland, Jr.
Haley Robinson, Loyola Maryland, Jr.
Sarah Eldridge, Navy, Sr.
Allie Maloney, Navy, So.
Erin Miller, Navy, Jr.
2026 Men’s Swimming and Diving Academic All-Patriot League Team
Joey Kling, Army West Point. Jr.
Alex Zhang, Army West Point, Sr.
Tony Ponomarev, Boston University, Sr.
Charles Schreiner, Boston University, So.
Braden Beagle, Bucknell, Sr.
Jack Krug, Bucknell, Sr.
James Lombardi, Bucknell, Jr.
Matt Freund, Colgate, Sr.
Michael Granin, Colgate, So.
Jack Greiner, Holy Cross, Sr.
Jack Deppe, Lehigh, So.
Brennan Coyle, Loyola Maryland, So.
Joe Hayburn, Loyola Maryland, Sr.
Sam Hersick, Loyola Maryland, Jr.
Hans van Lierop, Loyola Maryland, Jr.
Gavin Green, Navy, Sr.
Ben Irwin, Navy, Jr.
Ben Mauldin, Navy, Jr.
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.