ODESSA, Texas (April 7, 2026) – Colin Doyle, Niklas Heelein, Owen Putnam and Chase Alderman of the UT Permian Basin men's swimming & diving team and Rowan McWhorter of the Falcons' women's swimming & diving team were each picked for the 2025-26 Academic All-District® Team, selected by College Sports Communicators.
 
 
Colin Doyle is a junior from San Antonio, Texas, who holds a 3.79 GPA as a mathematics major. A 2025-26 team captain, Doyle was a part of three relay records (200 medley relay, 400 medley relay, 200 freestyle relay) and one individual record (100 butterfly) at the 2026 RMAC Championship. Doyle swam anchor and helped UTPB earn second-team all-conference in the 200 freestyle relay (4th place). It was his second year in a row helping UTPB earn second-team all-conference and finish fourth in the 200 freestyle relay. His best individual finish was eighth in the 100 butterfly. He was T53rd in scoring (17 points) and set three personal bests at the championship. He ranked third on the team and 57th in the RMAC according to FINA points. Last year, Doyle was named the RMAC Men's Swimmer of the Week (12/11/2024). Academically, Doyle is a two-time member of the RMAC Academic Honor Roll (2024-25, 2025-26) and earned the 2025 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award. Doyle is also a Success Center math workshop leader at UTPB.

2025-26 RMAC Championship Results:

• 200 medley relay – A Final – "A" relay – fifth place – 1:30.29 (School Record) (swam third)
• 400 medley relay – A Final – "A" relay – fifth place – 3:19.85 (Alt Ad 3:19.45) (School Record) (swam third)
• 200 freestyle relay – A Final – "A" relay – fourth place – 1:21.59 (*Second-Team All-RMAC) (School Record) (swam anchor)
• 400 freestyle relay – B Final – "B" relay – 11th place – 3:02.85 (Alt Adj 3:02.45) (UTPB "B" team outperformed "A" team)
• 50 freestyle – B Final – 11th place – 20.80 (10th in prelims, 20.83)
• 100 butterfly – A Final – eighth place – 49.10 (School Record, Personal Best, Alt Ad 49.00) (6th in prelims, 49.19, Personal Best)
• 100 freestyle – Prelims – 26th place – 47.48 (Personal Best)

2025-26 Season-Best Times:

• 50 Free – 20.69 (Relay Leadoff) (Personal Best) – Trinity University Tiger Invitational – Nov 21, 2025 
• 100 Free – 45.68 (Alt Adj) (Relay Leadoff) (Personal Best) – RMAC Championships – Feb 14, 2026          
• 100 Back – 51.23 (Personal Best) – Trinity University Tiger Invitational – Nov 22, 2025     
• 100 Breast – 1:02.94 (Personal Best) – UTPB vs. UTRGV – Oct 11, 2025    
• 100 Fly – 49.00 (Alt Adj) (Personal Best) – RMAC Championships – Feb 12, 2026   
• 100 IM – 52.75 (Personal Best) – Sam Freas Invite – Sep 27, 2025              
• 200 IM – 2:00.69 – UTPB vs Southwestern – Nov 8, 2025

 
 
Niklas Heelein is a senior from Eschborn, Germany, who holds a 3.66 GPA as a biology major. Heelein helped UTPB break the school record in two relays and finish in fifth place in three relays at the 2026 RMAC Championship. Heelein swam anchor in all three of those relays for the UTPB "A" team. He made the B Final and finished 13th in both the 200 IM and the 100 freestyle. He was T66th in scoring (8 points) and set four season bests and one personal best at the championship. He ranked fourth on the team and 61st in the RMAC according to FINA points. Heelein has previously earned four all-conference honors in his career: Second-Team All-New South Intercollegiate Swim Conference (2022), Second-Team All-RMAC (500 freestyle - 4th place; 2023), Second-Team All-RMAC (400 freestyle relay - 4th place; 2023), and Second-Team All-RMAC (800 freestyle relay - 4th place; 2023). Academically, Heelein was named First-Team Academic All-RMAC in 2023, is a two-time member of the RMAC Academic Honor Roll (2023-24, 2025-26), and earned the 2025 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award.

2025-26 RMAC Championship Results:

• 800 freestyle relay – A Final – "A" relay – fifth place – 6:45.38 (Alt Adj 6:40.58) (School Record) (swam anchor)
• 400 medley relay – A Final – "A" relay – fifth place – 3:19.85 (Alt Ad 3:19.45) (School Record) (swam anchor)
• 400 freestyle relay – A Final – "A" relay – fifth place – 3:03.34 (swam anchor)
• 200 IM – B Final – 13th place – 1:55.16 (Season Best) (15th in prelims, 1:56.63, Season Best, moved up two spots in final)
• 200 freestyle – Prelims – 17th place – 1:42.75 (1st alternate)
• 500 freestyle – Prelims – 22nd place – 4:45.97
• 100 freestyle – B Final – 13th place – 46.05 (Season Best) (13th in prelims, 46.15, Season Best)
• Time Trial – 50 freestyle – first place – 21.06 (Personal Best)

2025-26 Season-Best Times:       

• 50 Free – 21.06 (Personal Best) – RMAC Championships – Feb 14, 2026   
• 100 Free – 45.95 (Alt Adj) – RMAC  Championships – Feb 14, 2026     
• 200 Free – 1:41.17 – Trinity University Tiger Invitational – Nov 22, 2025  
• 500 Free – 4:39.50 – Trinity University Tiger Invitational – Nov 21, 2025  
• 1000 Free – 10:25.35 – UTPB vs Southwestern – Nov 8, 2025       
• 1650 Free – 16:20.10 – Trinity University Tiger Invitational – Nov 23, 2025            
• 100 Back – 56.42 – UTPB vs. UTRGV – Oct 11, 2025          
• 100 Breast – 1:00.77 (Personal Best) – Sam Freas Invite – Sep 27, 2025    
• 100 IM – 54.86 (Personal Best) – Sam Freas Invite – Sep 27, 2025              
• 200 IM – 1:53.96 (Alt Adj) – RMAC Championships – Feb 11, 2026

 
 
Owen Putnam is a senior from Houston, Texas, who holds a 3.58 GPA as a management major. A 2025-26 team captain, Putnam was third on the Falcons (T48th overall) in scoring (19 points) at the 2026 RMAC Championship. Putnam was one of four Falcons to break an individual school record at the championship meet, and was the only Falcon with an NCAA "B" standard (200 butterfly). His best individual finish was fifth place in the 200 butterfly after finishing third in the prelims with a school record time. He also helped the Falcons set a school record in the 800 freestyle relay and set two personal bests at the championship. He ranked seventh on the team and 70th in the RMAC according to FINA points. Earlier this year, Putnam was named UTPB's Edgardo Madrid & Associates Men's Student-Athlete of the Month (January 2026). This is Putnam's second year in a row being named to the CSC Academic All-District® Men's Swimming & Diving Team (2024-25, 2025-26). He is also a three-time member of the RMAC Academic Honor Roll (2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26) and earned the 2025 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award.

2025-26 RMAC Championship Results:

• 800 freestyle relay – A Final – "A" relay – fifth place – 6:45.38 (Alt Adj 6:40.58) (School Record) (swam third)
• 400 freestyle relay – B Final – "B" relay – 11th place – 3:02.85 (Alt Adj 3:02.45) (UTPB "B" team outperformed "A" team) (swam second)
• 200 IM – B Final – 12th place – 1:54.21 (13th in prelims, 1:55.37, moved up one spot in final)
• 400 IM – Prelims – 17th place – 4:10.81 (1st alternate)
• 200 butterfly – A Final – fifth place – 1:52.70
• 200 butterfly – Prelims – third place – 1:50.85 (Alt Adj 1:49.65) (NCAA D2 B) (School Record)
• 100 freestyle – Prelims – 29th place – 47.87 (Personal Best)
• Time Trial – 50 freestyle – third place – 21.85 (Personal Best)

2025-26 Season-Best Times:       

• 50 Free – 21.85 (Personal Best) – RMAC Championships – Feb 14, 2026   
• 100 Free – 47.77 (Alt Adj) (Personal Best) – RMAC Championships – Feb 14, 2026   
• 200 Free – 1:46.09 – McMurry vs UTPB – Jan 17, 2026    
• 500 Free – 5:03.71 – UTPB vs. UTRGV – Oct 11, 2025       
• 1000 Free – 10:30.45 – UTPB vs Southwestern – Nov 8, 2025                      
• 100 Fly – 53.36  – McMurry vs UTPB – Jan 17, 2026          
• 200 Fly – 1:49.65 (NCAA D2 B) (Alt Adj) – RMAC  Championships – Feb 13, 2026   
• 200 IM – 1:53.01 (Alt Adj) – RMAC Championships – Feb 11, 2026     
• 400 IM – 4:05.81 (Alt Adj) – RMAC Championships – Feb 12, 2026

 
 
Chase Alderman is a junior from Spring, Texas, who holds a 3.56 GPA as an exercise management major. Alderman helped UTPB break a school record and finish fifth in the 200 medley relay at the 2026 RMAC Championship. Alderman made the B Final in four individual events and finished in 14th place in three events (200 IM, 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke). He was T63rd in scoring (10 points) and set three season bests and one personal best at the championship. He ranked sixth on the team and 69th in the RMAC according to FINA points. This is Alderman's second year in a row being named to the CSC Academic All-District® Men's Swimming & Diving Team (2024-25, 2025-26). He is also a two-time member of the RMAC Academic Honor Roll (2024-25, 2025-26), made the Dean's List at UTPB (2024-25), and earned the 2025 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award. Alderman is also a member of UTPB's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

2025-26 RMAC Championship Results:

• 800 freestyle relay – B Final – "B" relay – 13th place – 7:02.20 (swam anchor)
• 200 medley relay – A Final – "A" relay – fifth place – 1:30.29 (School Record) (swam second)
• 400 medley relay – B Final – "B" relay – 12th place – 3:23.73 (swam second)
• 200 IM – B Final – 14th place – 1:55.18 (Season Best) (10th in prelims, 1:54.90, Season Best)
• 100 butterfly – B Final – 16th place – 50.92 (Season Best) (14th in prelims, 50.62, Personal Best)
• 100 breaststroke – B Final – 14th place – 57.70 (14th in prelims, 57.83)
• 200 breaststroke – B Final – 14th place – 2:10.37 (13th in prelims, 2:10.13)

2025-26 Season-Best Times:       

• 50 Free – 21.80 (Personal Best) – Trinity University Tiger Invitational – Nov 21, 2025              
• 200 Free – 1:53.20 (Personal Best) – Trinity (TX) vs. UT Permian Basin – Nov 1, 2025              
• 500 Free – 5:09.27 – UTPB vs Southwestern – Nov 8, 2025            
• 100 Back – 57.03 (Personal Best) – UTPB vs Southwestern – Nov 8, 2025 
• 100 Breast – 57.21 (Personal Best) – Trinity University Tiger Invitational – Nov 22, 2025     
• 200 Breast – 2:08.14 (Personal Best) – Trinity University Tiger Invitational – Nov 23, 2025     
• 100 Fly – 50.52 (Alt Adj) (Personal Best) – RMAC Championships – Feb 12, 2026   
• 100 IM – 55.07 – Sam Freas Invite – Sep 27, 2025             
• 200 IM – 1:53.70 (Alt Adj) – RMAC Championships – Feb 11, 2026

 
 
Rowan McWhorter is a sophomore from Houston, Texas, who holds a 4.00 GPA as a human performance major. A 2025-26 team captain, McWhorter was third on the Falcons (86th overall) in scoring (20 points) at the 2026 RMAC Championship. McWhorter helped UTPB set two school records in the relays. Her best individual finish was 16th in the 200 IM. She also set one personal best and one season best at the championship. For the second year in a row, she ranked first on the team and 89th in the RMAC according to FINA points. Last year, McWhorter was named UTPB's Edgardo Madrid & Associates Women's Student-Athlete of the Month (November 2024). She is also a member of the 2025-26 RMAC Academic Honor Roll.

2025-26 RMAC Championship Results:

• 200 medley relay – Finals – "A" relay – seventh place – 1:47.30 (School Record) (swam third)
• 200 freestyle relay – Finals – "A" relay – seventh place – 1:39.56 (swam anchor)
• 400 freestyle relay – Finals – "A" relay – seventh place – 3:36.30 (swam anchor)
• Time Trial – 400 medley relay – "A" relay – 3:59.95 (Alt Adj 3:59.55) (School Record) (swam third)
• 200 IM – B Final – 16th place – 2:12.19 (15th in prelims, 2:09.75, Season Best)
• 100 breaststroke – C Final – 23rd place – 1:08.04 (22nd in prelims, 1:07.81)
• 100 freestyle – C Final – 18th place – 53.28 (Personal Best) (24th in prelims, 54.45, moved up six spots in final)

2025-26 Season-Best Times:       

• 50 Free – 24.82 (Relay Leadoff) – Trinity University Tiger Invitational – Nov 21, 2025              
• 100 Free – 53.18 (Alt Adj) (Personal Best) – RMAC Championships – Feb 14, 2026   
• 200 Free – 2:10.81 – OC Tri-Meet – Sep 26, 2025
• 100 Breast – 1:07.25 – Trinity University Tiger Invitational – Nov 22, 2025             
• 200 Breast – 2:41.36 – Trinity (TX) vs. UT Permian Basin – Nov 1, 2025     
• 100 Fly – 59.13 (Personal Best) – Trinity University Tiger Invitational – Nov 22, 2025              
• 200 Fly – 2:24.28 – UTPB vs. UTRGV – Oct 11, 2025          
• 100 IM – 1:01.26 – Sam Freas Invite – Sep 27, 2025          
• 200 IM – 2:08.55 (Alt Adj) – RMAC Championships – Feb 11, 2026     

 
 
The 2025-26 Academic All-District® Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances in the pool and in the classroom. To be eligible for CSC Academic All-District, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, hold a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher and must be a standout in competition. Eligible nominees must compete in five competitions OR finish top-eight at a conference meet.

All five UTPB swimmers were selected as a CSC Academic All-America® finalist. Finalists are denoted with an asterisk and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced April 28-29, 2026.