Story Links

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Eleven Oakland swimming and diving student-athletes—six women and five men—have been named to the 2025-26 Valeo #HLSD All-Academic Team, the league announced Thursday, recognizing their achievements in both competition and the classroom.

After helping Oakland secure its 32nd consecutive conference championship, including 13 straight Horizon League titles, Grace Albrecht, Clarissa Bezuidenhout, Mia Englender, Kelley Hassett, Viviane Partridge, and Erika Pietras earned spots on the Valeo Women’s #HLSD All-Academic Team. This marks the first All-Academic honor for each, with Englender previously earning an honorable mention recognition in 2024.

Albrecht, a sophomore from Jenison, holds a 3.92 GPA in exercise science with a pre-physical therapy concentration. In addition to her All-Academic Team recognition, she was runner-up in the 200 free relay and placed third in both the 200 back and 200 medley relay at the Horizon League Championships. Albrecht competed in every regular-season meet, finishing in the top three in 21 events.

Bezuidenhout, a junior from Wake Forest, North Carolina, returned to full competition after being limited to just two events last season. She captured the Horizon League title in the 200 IM, finished runner-up in the 200 back, and placed third in the 100 back at this year’s championships. Bezuidenhout competed in every regular-season meet, posted top-three finishes in 16 events, and holds a 3.40 GPA in pre-interdisciplinary studies.

Englender earned a spot on the All-Academic Team after previously receiving an honorable mention. The senior from Israel maintains a 3.85 GPA in computer science and recorded top-three finishes in 14 events during the regular season. At the Horizon League Championships, Englender was part of the 800 free relay championship team and finished runner-up in the 200 free. 

As a public relations and advertising student, sophomore Kelley Hassett has maintained a 3.71 GPA while finishing in the top three in 18 events during the regular season. The Birmingham native excelled at this year’s Horizon League Championships, claiming titles in the 400 IM and 800 free relay, finishing runner-up in the 500 free, and placing third in the 1650 free.

Helping make history at the Horizon League Championships, Partridge was a part of the championship 400 free relay that set both school and league records with a time of 3:20.09. The sophomore also contributed to Oakland’s 800 free relay victory at the meet. A psychology major from Ottawa, Ontario, Partridge has maintained a 3.75 GPA, competed in every meet, and posted top-three finishes in 14 events.

A senior from Grosse Ile, Pietras is majoring in exercise science with a pre-physical therapy concentration and holds a 3.62 GPA. Alongside Partridge, she helped set school and league records in the 400 free relay at the Horizon League Championships. Pietras also earned a win in the 800 free relay, a runner-up finish in the 200 free relay, and a third-place showing in the 200 free. During the regular season, she finished in the top three in 21 events across all meets.

On the men’s side, Charles Brown, Joseph Countryman, Max Haney, Carson Ricker, and Nicholas Karel Subagyo were named to the Valeo Men’s #HLSD All-Academic Team, recognizing both their academic excellence and their roles in securing the program’s 48th consecutive conference championship and 13th straight Horizon League title. Countryman and Haney earned their first All-Academic Team honors, while Brown, Ricker, and Subagyo were each selected for the second consecutive year.

A Spring Lake native, Brown collects his second consecutive All-Academic Team honor. The criminal justice major holds a 3.62 GPA, competed in every meet, and finished in the top three in 28 events. At this year’s Horizon League Championships, he set both school and league records in the 200 free relay (1:17.16) and 400 free relay (2:52.30), added runner-up finishes in the 200 medley relay and 50 free, and placed third in the 100 free. 

At the Horizon League Championships, Countryman contributed to first-place finishes in the 800 free relay and 400 free relay, helping set school and league records in both. The junior from Chicago is pursuing a degree in pre-business administration and maintains a 3.70 GPA. During the regular season, Countryman competed in all meets and finished in the top three in 18 events.

At this year’s championships, Haney contributed to the 800 free relay record (6:21.43) alongside Countryman, claimed the 200 IM title, and finished as the runner-up in the 200 back. Over the course of the regular season, he placed in the top three in 23 events and earned one Horizon League Swimmer of the Week honor. A Fenton native, Haney has maintained a 3.82 GPA in health sciences.

Also earning All-Academic honors for the second consecutive year, Ricker has maintained a 4.0 GPA while pursuing an applied statistics degree. The junior from Rochester raced in three events at the Horizon League Championships, competed in all regular-season meets, and finished in the top three of five events during the season. 

Subagyo, in his second year with the program, was named to the All-Academic Team for the second time. Originally from Jakarta, Indonesia, the senior contributed to the 800 free relay with Countryman and Haney and finished runner-up in the 500 free. During the regular season, Subagyo was named Horizon League Swimmer of the Week once and finished in the top three in 16 events across six meets. He is pursuing a pre-interdisciplinary studies degree with a focus on industrial engineering and maintains a 3.48 GPA.

These 11 student-athletes embody the resiliency and determination of the Oakland University swimming and diving program, both in the pool and in the classroom. Building on a rich history of success, each has helped demonstrate why the program continues to be one of the best in the country.

Below is the full list of this year’s Valeo #HLSD All-Academic Team recipients.

2025-26 Valeo Women’s #HLSD All-Academic Team

Ellie Seiter, Cleveland State

Mackenzie Marnett, Green Bay

Kaylee Dexter, IU Indy

Alaina Heyde, IU Indy

Addy Hirsbrunner, IU Indy

Luca McGee, IU Indy

Victoria Surdyka, IU Indy

Christiana Brooks, Milwaukee

Natalie DiProspero, Milwaukee

Mara Freeman, Milwaukee

Grace Albrecht, Oakland

Mia Englender, Oakland

Kelley Hassett, Oakland

Erika Pietras, Oakland

Viviane Partridge, Oakland

Clarissa Bezuidenhout, Oakland

Hanna Held, Youngstown State

Allizon Ramirez Romero, Youngstown State

Olivia Sweetman, Youngstown State

 

2025-26 Valeo Men’s #HLSD All-Academic Team

Tyler Schulze, Cleveland State

Kaled Lombard, Green Bay

Zach Drotar, IU Indy

William Gorman, IU Indy

Youssef Magdy, IU Indy

Declan Taylor, IU Indy

Isaac Wilson, IU Indy

Andrew Jones, Milwaukee

Charles Brown, Oakland

Joseph “Joey” Countryman, Oakland

Max Haney, Oakland

Carson Ricker, Oakland

Nicholas Karel Subagyo, Oakland

Jacob Gramer, Youngstown State

Zachary Lao, Youngstown State

James Slessor, Youngstown State

Men’s Honorable Mentions

Alvin Valkki, Milwaukee

Lorenz Beck, Youngstown State