College Sports Communicators (CSC) has named Mark Addison '26 an Academic All-American, the first from men’s swimming and diving since 1998-99.
Addison ’26 does it all — and earns national recognition!
Mark Addison '26
For swimmer Mark Addison ’26, excellence was never limited to one lane.
Dominating in the pool and balancing a demanding schedule as a triple major, Addison built a college career that recently earned national recognition.
College Sports Communicators (CSC) named Addison an Academic All-American, becoming the 188th Viking in Augustana history to earn the honor, and the first from men’s swimming and diving since 1998-99.
“It means a lot to me because it represents the countless hours of hard work, the many challenges I overcame, and the sacrifices that I made to be the best student-athlete I can be,” Addison said.
"Mark never looked for shortcuts and consistently led by example through his work ethic and attitude.”
The award is the latest milestone in a remarkable career for Addison, who posted a 3.99 GPA while competing at the highest level in the CCIW. During the 2025-2026 swim season, he captured conference championships in the 200 breaststroke, 100 breaststroke, 500 freestyle, 400 medley relay and 800 freestyle relay.
He also broke four school records and earned the Elite 26 Award for the second straight year, which recognizes the highest cumulative GPA among All-CCIW participants.
“What makes Mark’s accomplishments even more impressive is the discipline and consistency required to achieve them,” said Ramsey Vens ’10, head coach for men’s and women's swimming and diving. “The daily demands of early morning swim practices, lifting sessions, afternoon training, competitions, travel and academic responsibilities can be overwhelming. Yet Mark never looked for shortcuts and consistently led by example through his work ethic and attitude.”
Addison majored in accounting, business intelligence, and business analytics while competing in both swimming and water polo at Augustana. After graduation, he will return to his home state of Tennessee to work for an accounting firm in Memphis, while he pursues his CPA license.
“Beyond the awards and accomplishments, Mark was simply a pleasure to coach,” Coach Vens said. “He brought positivity and professionalism to the team every day, and made those around him better. Athletes like Mark leave a lasting impact on a program because of the standards they set and the example they provide for others. His commitment to representing his teams, his classmates and the institution was evident in everything he did.”
As his days on campus come to a close, Addison says the memories that will stay with him most are not necessarily the records or championships, but the people who shared his journey.
“I will remember the fun memories from conference championships and throughout the season with my teammates and coaches,” he said.