PITMAN, NJ --- Kean University sophomore Braelyn Wilson (Mont Vernon, NH/The Academy for Science & Design) has been named the NJAC Swimmer of the Year to headline this year's slate of women's swimming and diving all-conference honorees.
 
The College of New Jersey senior Beth Evaldi (Ewing, NJ/The Hun School) was tabbed NJAC Diver of the Year for the third straight year and Salisbury University freshman Rowan O'Donoghue (Newark, DE/St. Mark's) earns the NJAC Rookie of the Year award. Kean head coach Chris Swenson and his staff was voted as the NJAC Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
All major awards were selected by a vote of the conference's 10 head coaches and take into account the body of work for the entire 2025-26 season. The all-conference teams were determined by place finish at this year's NJAC Swimming & Diving Championship meet.
 
Wilson, a five-time NJAC Swimmer of the Week, earned First Team All-America honors in two individual events at the NCAA Division III Championships, highlighted by a third-place finish in the 100 backstroke and sixth-place finish in the 50 freestyle. Wilson additionally competed in the 100 butterfly and was the leadoff of four Kean relays that competed at the national championship meet. At the NJAC Championships, Wilson captured the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke titles and earned a silver medal in the 100 freestyle. She helped Kean to gold medals in the 200 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay — both of which set new championship meet records — and silver medals in the 400 freestyle relay and 200 medley relay.
 
Evaldi, a four-time NJAC Diver of the Week, earns the conference's top diving honor for the third straight year, graduating as a four-time regional qualifier and three-time NJAC Diver of the Year. She swept both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events at the NJAC Championships, setting new championship meet records in both events with 398.20 points on the 1-meter board and 431.15 points on the 3-meter board. At the NCAA Diving Regional, Evaldi placed seventh out of 27 on the 3-meter board with 420.80 points and 11th on the 1-meter board.
 
O'Donoghue, a six-time NJAC Rookie of the Week, made an immediate impact in her first collegiate season, helping lead Salisbury to the NJAC Championship title while earning Second Team All-America honors in two individual events at the NCAA Division III Championships. She placed 11th in the 200 freestyle and 16th in the 500 freestyle to cap an outstanding rookie season. She also competed in the 100 freestyle and as part of four Salisbury relays at nationals. O'Donoghue swept the 100, 200, and 500 freestyle events at the NJAC Championships, setting new championship meet records in all three events. She also helped the Sea Gulls to gold medals in the 400 freestyle relay, 800 freestyle relay, and 200 medley relay, along with a silver medal in the 200 freestyle relay at the conference championship meet.
 
Kean head coach Chris Swenson, along with assistants Stephanie Judge, David Kessel, Louis Petrozziello, Steve Swenson, and Laney Fenton, earn the NJAC Coaching Staff of the Year honor, voted on by their peers. They guided Kean to the highest team finish of any NJAC program at the NCAA Division III Championships, placing 17th in the team standings with 54 points and finishing as the highest-ranking public school in the nation. Their squad produced five All-America performances at the national meet. At the NJAC Championships, Kean set new championship meet records in the 200 freestyle relay (1:34.82) and 400 medley relay (3:47.54).


 

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2025-26 NJAC WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING ALL-CONFERENCE

SWIMMER OF THE YEAR
Braelyn Wilson, Kean

DIVER OF THE YEAR
Beth Evaldi, TCNJ

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Rowan O'Donoghue, Salisbury

COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR
Kean
(Chris Swenson, Stephanie Judge, David Kessel, Louis Petrozziello, Steve Swenson, Laney Fenton)  

ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM