Liberty Places 4 on ASUN All-Academic Team
3/5/2025 2:24:00 PM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Liberty placed four student-athletes on the ASUN All-Academic Women's Swimming & Diving Team.
The Lady Flames' award winners included seniors Kate Baker, Shelby Kahn and Sydney Stricklin along with junior Grace Shaw. Baker, Kahn and Stricklin all received ASUN All-Academic Team honors for the second year in a row.
Nomination and voting for the ASUN All-Academic Team were conducted by sports information directors and academic coordinators from each of the member institutions. Nomination criteria included: a minimum of a 3.50 cumulative GPA, participation in 50 percent of contests during the season, have completed four semesters of college coursework or 50 percent of progress towards a degree and have one year of residence at the institution.
Liberty had the most award winners of any school on the ASUN All-Academic Team, with FGCU, North Florida and UNC Asheville having two each.
A native of Highlands Ranch, Colo., Baker carries a 4.0 GPA as an exercise science major. She finished fourth in the 200 IM at the 2025 ASUN Championships, nearly repeating as a podium finisher. Baker also swam with Shelby Kahn, Sydney Stricklin and Kamryn Cannings on Liberty's ASUN-record-setting 800 free relay.
Kahn, who hails from Sinking Spring, Pa., is a business administration major with a 3.97 GPA. In her three seasons at Liberty after transferring from Penn State, Kahn earned five conference podium finishes, capped by a third-place finish in the 200 freestyle in 2025. This year, Kahn swam on Liberty's conference-record-setting 400 free relay, 400 medley relay and 800 free relay.
Hailing from Niwot, Colo., Grace Shaw holds a 4.0 GPA as a sport management major. Within the past year, Shaw was diagnosed with, treated for, and overcame cancer. She was the first Lady Flame to compete at the 2025 ASUN Championships. Shaw swam a four-second lifetime-best (4:56.02), and despite swimming as an exhibition swimmer, her time placed fourth among all athletes and would have made the A Final.
Clarkston, Mich., native Sydney Stricklin carries a 3.95 GPA while pursuing a master's degree in sport management. She ended her career with seven conference podium finishes, including three (200 IM, 200 free, 100 free) this season. Stricklin earned her second career conference gold medal, winning the 200 free this year. The senior ranks second in ASUN Conference history in both the 200 IM (1:57.50) and 200 free (1:45.73). She also swam on the ASUN Conference record-setting 400 free relay, 400 medley relay and 800 free relay.
The Lady Flames wrapped up their seventh straight conference championship, winning the 2025 ASUN Women's Swimming & Diving Championship. Aly Bozzuto and Kamryn Cannings were both invited to compete in the 2025 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championships. Maddie Freece, Shannon Icard and Chloe LaCount will compete at the NCAA Zone Diving Championships next week in Piscataway, N.J.
2024-25 ASUN All-Academic Women's Swimming & Diving Team
Emma Bjoernholdt, FGCU
Alexandra Pierce, Bellarmine
Mia Burke, FGCU
Kate Baker, Liberty
Shelby Kahn, Liberty
Grace Shaw, Liberty
Sydney Stricklin, Liberty
Grace Adams, UNC Asheville
Caitlin Hefner, UNC Asheville
Ashley Kephart, North Florida
Victoria Torres, North Florida
Tova Andersson, Queens
Women's Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Emma Bjoernholdt, FGCU
The Lady Flames' award winners included seniors Kate Baker, Shelby Kahn and Sydney Stricklin along with junior Grace Shaw. Baker, Kahn and Stricklin all received ASUN All-Academic Team honors for the second year in a row.
Nomination and voting for the ASUN All-Academic Team were conducted by sports information directors and academic coordinators from each of the member institutions. Nomination criteria included: a minimum of a 3.50 cumulative GPA, participation in 50 percent of contests during the season, have completed four semesters of college coursework or 50 percent of progress towards a degree and have one year of residence at the institution.
Liberty had the most award winners of any school on the ASUN All-Academic Team, with FGCU, North Florida and UNC Asheville having two each.
A native of Highlands Ranch, Colo., Baker carries a 4.0 GPA as an exercise science major. She finished fourth in the 200 IM at the 2025 ASUN Championships, nearly repeating as a podium finisher. Baker also swam with Shelby Kahn, Sydney Stricklin and Kamryn Cannings on Liberty's ASUN-record-setting 800 free relay.
Kahn, who hails from Sinking Spring, Pa., is a business administration major with a 3.97 GPA. In her three seasons at Liberty after transferring from Penn State, Kahn earned five conference podium finishes, capped by a third-place finish in the 200 freestyle in 2025. This year, Kahn swam on Liberty's conference-record-setting 400 free relay, 400 medley relay and 800 free relay.
Hailing from Niwot, Colo., Grace Shaw holds a 4.0 GPA as a sport management major. Within the past year, Shaw was diagnosed with, treated for, and overcame cancer. She was the first Lady Flame to compete at the 2025 ASUN Championships. Shaw swam a four-second lifetime-best (4:56.02), and despite swimming as an exhibition swimmer, her time placed fourth among all athletes and would have made the A Final.
Clarkston, Mich., native Sydney Stricklin carries a 3.95 GPA while pursuing a master's degree in sport management. She ended her career with seven conference podium finishes, including three (200 IM, 200 free, 100 free) this season. Stricklin earned her second career conference gold medal, winning the 200 free this year. The senior ranks second in ASUN Conference history in both the 200 IM (1:57.50) and 200 free (1:45.73). She also swam on the ASUN Conference record-setting 400 free relay, 400 medley relay and 800 free relay.
The Lady Flames wrapped up their seventh straight conference championship, winning the 2025 ASUN Women's Swimming & Diving Championship. Aly Bozzuto and Kamryn Cannings were both invited to compete in the 2025 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming & Diving Championships. Maddie Freece, Shannon Icard and Chloe LaCount will compete at the NCAA Zone Diving Championships next week in Piscataway, N.J.
2024-25 ASUN All-Academic Women's Swimming & Diving Team
Emma Bjoernholdt, FGCU
Alexandra Pierce, Bellarmine
Mia Burke, FGCU
Kate Baker, Liberty
Shelby Kahn, Liberty
Grace Shaw, Liberty
Sydney Stricklin, Liberty
Grace Adams, UNC Asheville
Caitlin Hefner, UNC Asheville
Ashley Kephart, North Florida
Victoria Torres, North Florida
Tova Andersson, Queens
Women's Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Emma Bjoernholdt, FGCU
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