GREENSBORO, N.C.—Carleton College first-year Nina Schwab made her debut at the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships one to remember as she finished third in the 1-meter diving competition to earn First Team All-America recognition.
 
"Nina's third-place finish is a testament to her work ethic, her mental fortitude, and talent— and was well deserved!" said Carleton diving coach Gabe Kortuem.
 
Schwab's third-place result is the best-ever finish for a Carleton diver — men's or women's — at the NCAA Championships (see chart below).
 
She finished the preliminary round with a score of 422.70 and posted a score of 438.20 during the finals.
 
After the sixth round of diving during the prelims, Schwab's prospects for even qualifying for the consolation round — let alone the championship final — did not look promising as she sat 26th out of 29 divers.
 
"After Round 6, we talked about just the choice to folding it in or to keep on fighting to get back in the contest," said Kortuem. "She obviously chose the latter. Nina's back five dives have four potential 50+ point dives, so I knew she could work her way back up."
 
Round after round Schwab climbed the leaderboard:
• In the seventh round, she scored 52.00 points — her highest single-dive total during the prelims — on a Forward 2 1/2 Somersault Pike (105B) and moved into 19th place.
• She took over 15th place after tallying 41.60 points on a Reverse 1 1/2 Somersault 1 1/2 Twist Free (5333D) during the eighth round.
• The ninth round of dives saw Schwab score 49.20 points on her Inward 1 1/2 Somersault Pike (403B), permitting her to climb into eighth place, a key spot as the top 8 finishers in the prelims qualify for the championship finals.
• The 10th round saw her add another 47.15 points via a Back 1 1/2 Somersault Pike (203B) and move into sixth place on the standings.
• The final round of the early session concluded with a Back 1 1/2 Somersault 1 1/2 Twist Free (5233D), earning 48.75 points to complete the comeback and rank Schwab fourth heading into the finals.
 
Schwab opened the evening championship finals with a score of 50.40 on her 403B dive before following that up with scores of 49.45 (203B), 46.80 (105B), 46.80 (5333D), and 37.20 (303B). She was still in fourth place heading into her final attempt before tallying 48.75 points on her 5233D dive to leap into third place.
 
Schwab will take part in the 3-meter diving competition on Saturday, March 22, the final day of action at the NCAA Championships.
 
Carleton Divers to Earn All-America Awards
3rd   --   Nina Schwab, 2025 (women's 1M diving)
4th   --   Angie Soucek, 2002 (women's 1M diving)
4th   --   Angie Soucek, 2002 (women's 3M diving)
8th   --   Angie Soucek, 2000 (women's 3M diving)
8th   --   Angie Soucek, 2001 (women's 3M diving)
9th   --   Ken Potts, 1983 (men's 1-meter diving)
9th   --   Ken Potts, 1983 (men's 3-meter diving)
9th   --   Angie Soucek, 2001 (women's 1M diving – All-America Honorable Mention)
10th   --   Eric Brenner, 2011 (men's 1M diving – All-America Honorable Mention)
12th   --   Hans Anderson, 2025 (men's 3-meter diving)
16th   --   Eric Brenner, 2010 (men's 1M diving – All-America Honorable Mention)
 
Carleton Women's Swimming & Diving All-America Awards (awarded by CSCAA)
AIAW
1980   --   Kate Damberg (50 back - 11th)
1981   --   Kate Damberg (50 back - 2nd)
NCAA
1983   --   Kim Gillen (200 fly - 2nd)
1983   --   Kim Gillen (100 fly - 7th)
1984   --   Kim Gillen (100 fly - 2nd)
1984   --   Kim Gillen (200 fly - 7th)
1985   --   Kim Gillen (200 fly)
1992   --   Lydia Neilsen (100 breast - 4th)
1993   --   Lydia Neilsen (100 breast - 4th)
1995   --   Lydia Neilsen (100 breast - 1st)
1997   --   Kelly Hoeschen (200 breast - 7th)
2000   --   Angie Soucek (3M diving - 8th)
2001   --   Angie Soucek (3M diving - 8th)
2001   --   Marie Marsman (100 free - 2nd)
2001   --   Marie Marsman (50 free - 4th)
2002   --   Andrea Barbera, Molly Lalor, Marie Marsman, Emily Mondloh (400 FR - 3rd)
2002   --   Angie Soucek (1M diving - 4th)
2002   --   Angie Soucek (3M diving - 4th)
2002   --   Marie Marsman (50 free - 1st)
2002   --   Marie Marsman (50 free - 1st)
2002   --   Marie Marsman (50 free - 1st)
2003   --   Elise Knoche, Emily Mondloh, Jenny Grover, Marie Marsman (800 FR - 2nd)
2003   --   Emily Mondloh, Andrea Barbera, Jenny Grover, Marie Marsman (400 FR - 3rd)
2003   --   Marie Marsman (100 free - 1st)
2003   --   Marie Marsman (200 free - 1st)
2003   --   Marie Marsman (50 free - 3rd)
2003   --   Marie Marsman, Emily Mondloh, Jenny Grover, Andrea Barbera (200 FR - 5th)
2005   --   Marie Marsman (50 free - 1st)
2005   --   Marie Marsman (100 free - 1st)
2005   --   Marie Marsman, Emily Mondloh, Jenny Grover, Elise Knoche (800 FR - 3rd)
2005   --   Marie Marsman, Jenny Grover, Andrea Barbera, Jen Gratz (200 FR - 1st)
2005   --   Marie Marsman, Jenny Grover, Emily Mondloh, Andrea Barbera (400 FR - 1st)
2007   --   Kate Alexander (200 breast - 8th)
2009   --   Kale Zicafoose (200 back - 7th)
2010   --   Kale Zicafoose (100 back - 7th)
2011   --   Kale Zicafoose (100 back - 3rd)
2011   --   Kale Zicafoose (200 back - 6th)
2013   --   Sophie Pilhofer (50 free - 3rd)
2017   --   Caroline Mather (100 free - 7th)
2025   --   Nina Schwab (1M diving - 3rd
 
NOTE: Prior to 2017, the CSCAA award All-America status to individuals/relays that finished 1st-8th place at the NCAA Championships while 9th-16th place earned All-America Honorable Mention. Starting in 2017, the criteria changed to 1st-8th places earn All-America First-Team recognition while 9th-16th places earn All-America second-team honors.
 
Carleton Women's Swimming & Diving All-America Honorable Mention
AIAW
1981   --   Kate Damberg (100 back - 13th)
1981   --   Kate Damberg (200 back - 16th)
NCAA
1983   --   Kim Gillen (400 IM - 9th)
1983   --   Kim Gillen (200 IM - 15th)
1992   --   Abby Markwyn (200 back - 11th)
1995   --   Laura Arneson (400 IM - 15th)
1995   --   Laura Arneson (200 back - 15th)
1995   --   Lydia Neilsen (200 breast - 10th)
1999   --   Cindy Craig, Ilse Ekechuku, Molly Lalor, Emily Peterson (200 FR - 10th)
1999   --   Cindy Craig, Ilse Ekechuku, Molly Lalor, Emily Peterson (200 MR - 14th)
1999   --   Cindy Craig, Ilse Ekechuku, Molly Lalor, Emily Peterson (400 FR - 14th)
1999   --   Cindy Craig, Ilse Ekechuku, Molly Lalor, Emily Peterson (400 MR - 15th)
2000   --   Molly Lalor (100 free - 16th)
2001   --   Angie Soucek (1M diving - 9th)
2001   --   Molly Lalor, Marie Marsman, Liz Sehr, Britta Veitenheimer (200 FR - 10th)
2001   --   Rebecca Hurwitz, Molly Lalor, Marie Marsman, Britta Veitenheimer (400 FR - 9th)
2002   --   Andrea Barbera, Molly Lalor, Marie Marsman, Emily Mondloh (200 FR - 11th)
2002   --   Molly Lalor, Marie Marsman, Emily Mondloh, Maroya Spalding (800 FR - 14th)
2002   --   Molly Lalor (100 free - 13th)
2002   --   Molly Lalor (50 free - 14th)
2003   --   Jenny Grover (100 back - 13th)
2003   --   Jenny Grover (200 back - 14th)
2003   --   Jenny Grover, Molly Miller, Emily Mondloh, Andrea Barbera (200 MR - 16th)
2003   --   Jenny Grover, Molly Miller, Emily Mondloh, Marie Marsman (400 MR - 9th)
2004   --   Jenny Grover (200 back - 14th)
2007   --   Kate Alexander (100 breast - 12th)
2008   --   Jen Gratz, Kaarin Taylor, Kate Alexander, Kale Zicafoose (400 MR - 12th)
2008   --   Jen Gratz, Kaarin Taylor, Kate Alexander, Kale Zicafoose (200 MR - 16th)
2008   --   Kate Alexander (200 breast - 11th)
2008   --   Kate Alexander (400 IM - 12th)
2008   --   Kate Alexander (200 IM - 16th)
2009   --   Becky Alexander, Kale Zicafoose, Kaarin Taylor, Maggie Alexander (400 FR - 15th)
2009   --   Kale Zicafoose, Kate Alexander, Kaarin Taylor, Becky Alexander (200 MR - 13th)
2009   --   Kale Zicafoose, Kate Alexander, Kaarin Taylor, Becky Alexander (400 MR - 14th)
2009   --   Maggie Alexander (500 free - 16th)
2009   --   Maggie Alexander (200 free - 9th)
2009   --   Maggie Alexander (200 back - 12th)
2009   --   Maggie Alexander, Kale Zicafoose, Kaarin Taylor, Becky Alexander (800 FR - 15th)
2010   --   Kale Zicafoose (200 back - 13th)
2014   --   Milana Socha (50 free - 15th)
2015   --   Maria Wetzel (200 back - 16th)
2017   --   Caroline Mather (50 free - 12th)
2017   --   Maria Wetzel (400 IM - 11th)