Hope College swimmer Ben Catton has been voted to the inaugural Academic All-America® men's swimming and diving teams as selected by College Sports Communicators.

The junior from Holland, Michigan (Holland Christian HS) is one of 30 NCAA Division III selections and one of 10 on the Academic All-America® Second Team.

Catton, who competed at the NCAA Division III Championships in two individual events last week, is a business and economics major.

This season, Catton qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 100-yard butterfly and 100 freestyle and repeated as MIAA champion in the 100-yard butterfly. 

Catton is the Flying Dutchmen's second College Sports Communicators Academic All-America® recipient.

Swimmer Jeff Bannink earned the honor in 1995 as an at-large selection. Previously, men's swimming and diving had been a part of the Academic All-America® men's at-large program until the 2022-23 school year.

Head coach Jake Taber said Catton is the epitome of a Hope College and Division III student-athlete.

"When you talk about 'Why Division III?' and being a student-athlete, in that order, you can't help but think of Ben Catton," Taber said. "He is diligent in his work as a student, in his future, and in his swimming. 

"At the time of this release, Ben is on a school-funded trip to Paris as a part of the Baker's Scholars program here at Hope. He flew directly from the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships to meet his group. Everything Ben does is at an extremely high level, we couldn't be happier for him.  He is very well deserving of this honor."

Catton is Hope's third recipient this school year, joining Evan Thomas in men's basketball and Claire Baguley in women's basketball.