Five members of the Hope College men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have been named to the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America Scholar All-America Team for the 2020-21 season.

Swimmers Emma Schaefer, Ben Catton, Jake Peterson, and Bailey Smith, and diver Kamaron Wilcox are Hope’s representatives among the 789 honorees nationally.

The award recognizes students who achieved a grade point average of 3.50 or higher and were invited to compete at either the NCAA or NAIA championships. Due to the cancellation of the Division III and NAIA championship, the CSCAA established time standards for qualification based on a standard deviation of previous national championship participation.

Schaefer, an exercise science major, earned her second consecutive Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Most Valuable Swimmer honors this season. The senior from DeWitt, Michigan (St. Johns HS) won league titles in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke and the 200 individual medley while leading the Flying Dutch to the MIAA team championship.

A CSCAA First Team All-American Schaefer set MIAA and school records in the 200 breaststroke and school records in the 100 breaststroke and the 200 individual medley.

Wilcox, a mathematics and physics double major, was selected as co-MIAA Most Valuable Diver this season. It was his second MIAA Diver of the Year honor. A CSCAA First Team All-American, the junior from Grand Rapids, Michigan (Forest Hills Central) repeated as MIAA champion in 3-meter diving in 2021.

Smith, a business major, set MIAA and Hope records in the 1,650 freestyle this season. A CSCAA First Team All-American, the sophomore from Battle Creek, Michigan (Lakeview) also broke a 26-year-old school record in the 500 freestyle.

Catton set Hope records in the 100 butterfly and the 100 backstroke this season. The freshman from Holland, Michigan (Holland Christian) also claimed CSCAA First Team All-America honors.

Peterson was MIAA champion in the 400 individual medley. The freshman from San Antonio, Texas (Churchill) was a CSCAA Second Team All-American.