GREENWOOD, Ind.—For the second-straight year, Lewis & Clark College swimming had six student-athletes named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) 2023-24 Academic All-District Swimming teams, CSC announced on Tuesday morning.
 
To be eligible for the CSC Academic All-District honor, the student-athlete must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average, and must have competed in at least five competitions, or finish in the top-eight at the conference championship meet, during the season. Programs could be represented by a maximum of four swimmers on each team.
 
Juniors Elise Barton, AJ Schroeder and Zach Martin all were repeat honorees. Senior Ella Stephan, sophomore Ainsley Rios and junior Ezra Billings all earned Academic All-District honors for the first time in their collegiate careers. 
 
Barton is a Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Hispanic Studies double major hailing from Denver, Colorado. The junior put together the best year of her collegiate career this winter. She earned the first three All-Conference awards of her career at the Northwest Conference Championship Meet. Barton placed fifth in the 50 Free (24.46), sixth in the 100 Free (54.00) and seventh in the 200 Free (1:58.05) to earn Second Team All-Conference plaudits in all three events. She enters her senior season ranked in the top-10 in the 50 Free (seventh), 100 Free (eighth), 200 Free (seventh) and was a member of the 200 and 400 Free Relay Teams that rank fifth in program history. 
 
Rios is a psychology major from Hillsboro, Oregon. She competed in a career-high nine meets during her sophomore campaign. Rios competed in the 50 Free, 100 Free, 100 Backstroke at the NWC Championship Meet. She posted her best finish in the 100 Backstroke where she posted a career-best time (1:21.54) to place 29^th overall. Rios put together one of her best performances of the year on November 8 against Pacific. She finished third in the 50 Breaststroke, fifth in the 50 Free and sixth in the 50 Fly. 
 
Schroeder is a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major hailing from Mountain View, California. They earned their second-straight Academic All-District honors after racing in all 10 meets during their junior season. Schroeder finished inside the top-20 in all three of her events. She placed 17^th in the 400 IM, 18^th in the 100 Breaststroke and 19^th in the 200 Breaststroke. Schroeder was also a part of the 200 Free Relay team that placed sixth with a time of 1:40.80. The quartet's time moved them into 10^th in program history. Schroeder enjoyed their best meet of the year on November 8. She placed second in the 50 Fly, 100 IM and 50 Free against Pacific. 
 
Stephan is a Psychology major hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Pioneers senior captain competed in nine meets during her final season on Palatine Hill. Stephan finished in the top-30 in all three of her individual events and raced in six total events at the NWC Championship Meet. She finished in 18^th in the 200 Free, 23^rdin 200 Free and 29^th in 50 Free. In the relays, Stephan helped Lewis & Clark placed sixth in the 200 Medley and 200 Free Relays and seventh in the 400 Free Relay. Throughout her career, she was a part of five relay teams that posted top-10 times in program history.  
 
Billings is a Computer Science and Mathematics major from Fairbanks, Alaska. The junior transfer made a huge splash during his first season as a Pioneer. Billings became the first student-athlete in program history to be named the Northwest Conference Men's Swimmer of the Meet. He won the 50 Free (20.42), 100 Free (44.70) and 100 Butterfly (49.25) at the NWC Championship Meet to score 60 points in the team standings. He was also a part of the 400 Free Relay team that took first place with a time of 3:03.88. Billings enters his senior season as the program-record holder in the 50 and 100 Free and sixth in the 100 Breaststroke. He also was a member of the relay teams that set the program record in the 400 Medley Relay and 200 and 400 Freestyle Relay.
 
Martin is a Music major hailing from Upland, California. He earned the first two First Team All-Conference honors of his career and a career-high four All-Conference honors at the NWC Championship Meet. The junior posted a career-best second-place finish in the 200 Free (1:42.89). He added a seventh-place showing in the 100 Free (46.46) and finished 12^th overall in the 50 Free (21.58). He swam the anchor leg on the 400 Yard Free Relay (3:03.88) that won the gold medal. Martin was also a member of the 200 Medley Relay team that earned All-Conference honors (second place) and the 800 Free (fourth) and 400 Medley (fifth). Martin will enter his senior season in the top-10 in program history in the 200 Free (second), 100 Free (fourth), 50 Free (sixth) and 100 Breaststroke (t-7^th).