MELBOURNE, Fla. – Six members of the Florida Tech men's and women's swimming team earned a spot on the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District team as the organization announced on Tuesday, Apr. 7.
 
Melissa Zucco, Abby Briggs, Sam Bullard, Julia Pearson, Emiel van Oord and Matthew Heaphy are the six Panthers on the CSC Academic All-District team.
 
The 2025-26 Academic All-District Men's and Women's Swimming Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation's top scholar-athletes for combined performances in the pool and in the classroom.
 
Academic All-District® honorees are considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second-, and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in early December.
 
Melissa Zucco, a sophomore from Turin, Italy, is earning her degree in aerospace engineering while holding a 3.97 grade point average. This season, Zucco had seven first place finishes and was named SSC Swimmer of the Week on Jan. 12. Additionally, she notched a program record time of 2:01.41 in the 200 back earlier in the season.
 
Abby Briggs, a sophomore from Houston, Texas, is earning her degree in marine biology while she has earned a 4.00 cumulative grade point average. Briggs was successful this season and she won five events and totaled 12 podium finishes. She also notched a b-cut time of 5:03.29 in the 500 free.
 
Sam Bullard, a junior from Ann Arbor, Michigan, currently has a 4.00 grade point average in her aerospace engineering courses. Bullard podiumed twice against Rollins in the 100 and 200 fly. She also set a personal best time of 54.34 in the 100 free at the SSC Championships.
 
Julia Pearson, a sophomore from Apple Valley, Minnesota, is earning her degree in marine biology as she currently has a 4.00 GPA. During the season, Pearson podiumed twice, once against Lynn with a time of 11:47.61 and against Rollins with a time of 11:47.58, both in the 1000 free. Additionally, she notched season-best times in the 500 free, 1000 free, 1650 free and in the 200 back at the SSC Championships.
 
Emiel van Oord, a sophomore from Santpoort-Noord, Netherlands, is earning his degree in mechanical engineering as he currently has a 3.79 grade point average. He earned All-American status this season as he competed on the 200 free relay team that placed 12^th at nationals and earned Tech 10 team points. In individual events, van Oord podiumed three times this season, twice in the 50 free and once in the 100 fly. 
 
Matthew Heaphy, a senior from Eagle River, Alaska, is earning his aviation management with flight degree and currently has a 3.59 grade point average. Heaphy podiumed three times this season including twice against Rollins where he placed second in the 100 and 200 breast.