WALESKA, Ga. - Officials of the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) released the 2025-26 men's and women's swimming honorees for Academic All-Conference awards and for the Champions of Character Team Wednesday afternoon.  

For a student-athlete to qualify for Academic All-AAC honors, they must be a sophomore, junior, senior, or graduate student and carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale.  

The 2025-26 Academic All-Conference honorees for the UPike men's swimming team are Bryce Barton, RJ Goins, Benjamin Mclaughlan, and Jacob Rubado. On the women's team, Tayla Howroyd, Daylin Patrick, Madelyn Smith, and Bailey Walker were honored for their hard work in the classroom.  

The AAC also honors the Champions of Character Team. Those who are named to the Champions of Character Team are nominated by their coaches for their leadership on campus and their community for best demonstrating the five core values embraced by the NAIA. Those values are respect, integrity, responsibility, servant leadership, and sportsmanship.  

Representing UPike on the 2025-26 AAC Men's Swimming Champions of Character Team is Jacob Rubado. Representing the women's swim team on the 2025-26 AAC Women's Swimming Champions of Character Team is Madelyn Smith.  

Coach Bernie Haney's swim Bears will be back in the water tomorrow in Kingpsort, Tenn., for the AAC Conference Championships.  

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