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Eight Swim and Dive Student-Athletes Named Academic All-District
4/1/2025 4:08 PM | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving
Four swimmers and four divers recognized by CSC
SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah swim and dive program's Nick Chirafisi, Kathryn Grant, Jesco Helling, Erin Palmer, Elias Petersen, Isabella Riso, Evan VanBrocklin and Holly Waxman were all named to the College Sports Communications Academic All-District team, the CSC released Tuesday.
This number matches the most of any team in the nation, the third consecutive season the Utes can make that claim.
Sophomore Nick Chirafisi earned academic honors by crafting a 3.76 GPA while studying for a degree in Communications and racking up accomplishments on the deck. Chirafisi tallied eight first-place finishes throughout his season, including two at the Art Adamson Invitational at Texas A&M and another in the dual meet with rival BYU. He wrapped his season with a bronze medal at the Big 12 Championships with his swim in the 1,640-yard freestyle after leading off the 800-yard freestyle relay that broke an 11-year-old Utah record.
On the board, junior Kathryn Grant earned her third appearance at the NCAA Championships. The Ontario, Canada native finished in the top-25 in the one-meter preliminary competition, earning the fourth-highest placement of any Utah women's diver in that event. Grant was a large contributor to the Utah diving program's best season, accumulating two top-eight placements at the Big 12 Championship and nine top-three placements throughout the season. All of her hard work paid off in the diving well and the books as Grant currently holds a 3.96 GPA while completing an Education degree.
Dominating both the pool and the classroom, graduate student Jesco Helling was a major addition to the team. If holding a 4.0 in a Chemical Engineering master's program wasn't impressive enough, the Dresden, Germany native was the first Utah student-athlete to ever achieve an individual Big 12 title. After earning a place in the platform prelims, Helling knocked the competition out of the park with a final dive that earned 80 points from the judges, setting the graduate student's gold medal in stone.
On the women's side of the lanes, Erin Palmer not only marked a 3.93 GPA in her Speech and Hearing Science program, but would finish her season with a CSCAA National's Swimmer of the Meet trophy. After finishing fourth at the Big 12 Championships in the 50-yard freestyle and earning two golds against BYU, the junior went on to take home two golds, a silver and a Swimmer of the Meet honor at the National Invite. During the 2024-2025 season, the Bismarck, N.D. native broke the 100-yard breaststroke program record, two pool records and was on the 400-freestyle relay that set a new Utah record at the Art Adamson Invitational.
Back in the diving well, Utah's All-American, Elias Petersen, holds a 3.66 in his Communications program with an emphasis on Journalism. Not only did the Malmo, Sweden native earn a place on the national stage on both springboard events, his stellar six-dive list put him in fourth-place following his finals performance. Petersen made his presence known this season, not only with his performance at NCAAs, but with his silver and bronze medals at the Big 12 Championship as well.
Isabella Riso, an international student from Milano, Italy, worked hard in the pool and the classroom. Her efforts paid off as she earned nine gold medals and a 3.89 in her Pre-Psychology studies. The sophomore was the lead-off off the record-breaking 400-yard freestyle relay that broke a Utah program record that had been around for 17 years.
Junior Evan VanBrocklin broke the 100-yard butterfly school record twice while competing at the Big 12 Championships, once in prelims and then again in the finals session. He would then anchor the record-breaking 800-yard freestyle relay that broke an 11-year-old Utah record. The junior had a successful season leading up to conference, clocking medals against BYU, swimming three races and accumulating a gold and two silvers. He accomplished all of this in the pool, while completing a Pre-Med/Biology degree with a 3.79 GPA.
Few Utes won as often as senior Holly Waxman. After making her fourth and final appearance at the NCAA Championship, the Leeds, England native marked her third national competition on all three diving events. Marking success all through her season, Waxman was named Big 12 Diver of the Week twice and found 14 medals, including two golds against BYU and another at the Cal Diving Invitational. The senior's work ethic showed in all aspects of her life, while earning athletic honors, she maintained a 3.65 GPA in her Biology degree.
In order to be eligible for the All-District Team, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher and must have competed in at least 50% of their team's meet during the year. Petersen, Helling, Palmer and Waxman are now up for CSC Academic All-American consideration.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahWSoccer | Instagram: @UtahWSoccer | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahwsoccer), and the official mobile app of Utah Athletics, Utah360 -- download here.
This number matches the most of any team in the nation, the third consecutive season the Utes can make that claim.
Sophomore Nick Chirafisi earned academic honors by crafting a 3.76 GPA while studying for a degree in Communications and racking up accomplishments on the deck. Chirafisi tallied eight first-place finishes throughout his season, including two at the Art Adamson Invitational at Texas A&M and another in the dual meet with rival BYU. He wrapped his season with a bronze medal at the Big 12 Championships with his swim in the 1,640-yard freestyle after leading off the 800-yard freestyle relay that broke an 11-year-old Utah record.
On the board, junior Kathryn Grant earned her third appearance at the NCAA Championships. The Ontario, Canada native finished in the top-25 in the one-meter preliminary competition, earning the fourth-highest placement of any Utah women's diver in that event. Grant was a large contributor to the Utah diving program's best season, accumulating two top-eight placements at the Big 12 Championship and nine top-three placements throughout the season. All of her hard work paid off in the diving well and the books as Grant currently holds a 3.96 GPA while completing an Education degree.
Dominating both the pool and the classroom, graduate student Jesco Helling was a major addition to the team. If holding a 4.0 in a Chemical Engineering master's program wasn't impressive enough, the Dresden, Germany native was the first Utah student-athlete to ever achieve an individual Big 12 title. After earning a place in the platform prelims, Helling knocked the competition out of the park with a final dive that earned 80 points from the judges, setting the graduate student's gold medal in stone.
On the women's side of the lanes, Erin Palmer not only marked a 3.93 GPA in her Speech and Hearing Science program, but would finish her season with a CSCAA National's Swimmer of the Meet trophy. After finishing fourth at the Big 12 Championships in the 50-yard freestyle and earning two golds against BYU, the junior went on to take home two golds, a silver and a Swimmer of the Meet honor at the National Invite. During the 2024-2025 season, the Bismarck, N.D. native broke the 100-yard breaststroke program record, two pool records and was on the 400-freestyle relay that set a new Utah record at the Art Adamson Invitational.
Back in the diving well, Utah's All-American, Elias Petersen, holds a 3.66 in his Communications program with an emphasis on Journalism. Not only did the Malmo, Sweden native earn a place on the national stage on both springboard events, his stellar six-dive list put him in fourth-place following his finals performance. Petersen made his presence known this season, not only with his performance at NCAAs, but with his silver and bronze medals at the Big 12 Championship as well.
Isabella Riso, an international student from Milano, Italy, worked hard in the pool and the classroom. Her efforts paid off as she earned nine gold medals and a 3.89 in her Pre-Psychology studies. The sophomore was the lead-off off the record-breaking 400-yard freestyle relay that broke a Utah program record that had been around for 17 years.
Junior Evan VanBrocklin broke the 100-yard butterfly school record twice while competing at the Big 12 Championships, once in prelims and then again in the finals session. He would then anchor the record-breaking 800-yard freestyle relay that broke an 11-year-old Utah record. The junior had a successful season leading up to conference, clocking medals against BYU, swimming three races and accumulating a gold and two silvers. He accomplished all of this in the pool, while completing a Pre-Med/Biology degree with a 3.79 GPA.
Few Utes won as often as senior Holly Waxman. After making her fourth and final appearance at the NCAA Championship, the Leeds, England native marked her third national competition on all three diving events. Marking success all through her season, Waxman was named Big 12 Diver of the Week twice and found 14 medals, including two golds against BYU and another at the Cal Diving Invitational. The senior's work ethic showed in all aspects of her life, while earning athletic honors, she maintained a 3.65 GPA in her Biology degree.
In order to be eligible for the All-District Team, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher and must have competed in at least 50% of their team's meet during the year. Petersen, Helling, Palmer and Waxman are now up for CSC Academic All-American consideration.
FOLLOW THE UTES!
Fans can follow along on social media (Twitter: @UtahWSoccer | Instagram: @UtahWSoccer | Facebook: Facebook.com/Utahwsoccer), and the official mobile app of Utah Athletics, Utah360 -- download here.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Swimming & Diving
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/ Men's Swimming & Diving
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/ Women's Swimming & DivingHear It From Harlan with Utah Diving's Holly Waxman
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