NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Vanderbilt swim program has earned both individual and team academic awards the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) has announced.
Not only were the Commodores recognized as a Scholar All-America Team following both the fall and spring semesters, the duo of Faith Knelson and Kailia Utley were named second-team Scholar All-Americans.
Vandy received team awards after its 29 student-athletes combined to post a grade-point average over 3.50 each semester during the 2022-23 academic year. To qualify for individual honors, Knelson and Utley were required to maintain a 3.50 cumulative GPA for the academic year in addition to meeting the B Standard for the national championship.
Knelson, who hails from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, met the NCAA B Standard in the 100 and 200 breast at the SEC Championships in February. The rising senior placed sixth in the 50 breast at the CSCAA National Invitational Championship in March, also making the A Final in the 100 breast and winning the 100 IM at the meet. Knelson ended the campaign first on the Dores’ season performer list in the 100 and 200 breast, and was also second on the team in the 200 IM, while setting program records in the 50 and 100 breast and 100 IM.
This marks the second year in a row that Utley has been named a CSCAA Scholar All-American, as she ranked first on the team in the 100 and 200 fly and was second in both the 500 and 1,000 free in 2022-23. The rising junior from Huntington Beach, California, met the NCAA B Standard in the 100 and 200 fly—setting a school record in the latter event—and advanced to the B Final in the 100 fly at the CSCAA National Invitational Championship. In addition to her school record, Utley finished the season ranked second on Vandy’s all-time performer list in the 100 fly as well as among the top 10 in the 500 free.
