SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Denver’s Julia Saxman and Savanna Berry, South Dakota’s Nick Rounds, and Omaha’s Owen Kipp have been named the 2025-26 Summit League Swimmers and Divers of the Year, league officials announced Thursday. Selected by a vote of the league’s head coaches, the honors reflect the student-athletes’ exceptional performances throughout the season.
 
Saxman, a freshman, became the 13th consecutive Pioneer to earn Women’s Swimmer of the Year honors. On the diving side, teammate Berry was named Women’s Diver of the Year, marking the sixth time in the past seven seasons a Denver women’s athlete has received the award.
 
Rounds captured his first career Men’s Swimmer of the Year honor, becoming the first Coyote to earn the award since Zachary Kopp in 2020-21. Omaha’s Owen Kipp was named Men’s Diver of the Year, marking the program’s first-ever recipient of the award.
 
Below is a more information on each student-athlete’s 2025-26 season.
 
Julia Saxman, Denver
Freshman | Germantown, Wis.

• Captured the Peak Performer of the Week award three times this season
• Named the 2026 Summit League Women’s Newcomer of the Championship
• Swept all three of her individual events of the SL Championships
• Turned in the 6^th fastest time in program history in the 50 free (22.75), the 4^th fastest time in the 100 fly (52.86) and the 7^th fastest time in the 200 fly (2:00.44)
• Part of the winning 200 medley relay (1:39.18), won the 50 free (22.75), part of the winning 200 free relay (1:31.31), won the 100 fly (52.86), part of the winning 400 medley relay (3:40.34), won the 100 free (50.14) and part of the winning 400 free relay (3:22.08) at the Summit League Championships

 
Savanna Berry, Denver
Junior | Lodi, Calif.

• Named Peak Performer of the Week six times during the season
• Earned her second consecutive Diver of the Championship award
• Turned in the 4^th highest score in program history in the 3-meter dive (318.15)
• Swept the 1-meter (261.25) 3-meter (286.05) dives at the 2026 Summit League Championships, while also helping win the team-diving event for the second straight season
• Recorded NCAA Zone Cuts on the 1-meter and 3-meter boards this season

 
Nick Rounds, South Dakota
Sophomore | West Des Moines, Iowa

• Earned Peak Performer honors five times during the regular season
• Claimed the men’s Swimming Championship MVP honor
• Notched an NCAA Standard time in the 50 free and 100 free at the Summit League Championships
• Collected gold at the Summit League Championships in the 50 free, 100 free, and 100 back
• Was a member of several winning relays at the championships

 
Owen Kipp, Omaha
Sophomore | Eagan, Minn.

• Collected two Peak Performer honors during the regular season.
• Earned the first men’s Diver of the Year honor in school history
• Named the 2026 Summit League Diving Championship MVP
• Earned NCAA Zone Cuts on the men’s 1-meter board and the men’s 3-meter board
• Won the 1M dive and placed second in the 3M at the championships

 
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