BOCA RATON, Fla. - THE Collegiate Women Sports Awards announced that Lynn standout graduate Luna Mertins has been named the DII Honda Athlete of the Year finalist for swimming & diving, Thursday afternoon. She is now one of 11 finalists for the DII Honda Athlete of the Year award.
 
Mertins has already claimed CSCAA National Swimmer of the Year and Sunshine State Conference Swimmer of the Year for an incredible 2024-25 season. Her accomplishments include claiming two individual national championships in the 100 Fly and 100 Free, setting Division II records in both at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships. She also earned a runner-up finish in the 100 Back and placed third in the 50 Free at the NCAA Championships. Her dominance extends to the conference level, where she holds SSC records in all four events, as well as the 200 Free Relay.
 
In her five seasons with Lynn, she has built quite the resume with four national championships, winning the 100 Free and 100 Fly twice (2022 and 2025) and contributing to the 200 Medley Relay victory in 2024. She is a 28-time All-American and a 23-time First Team All-American, cementing her place as one of the most decorated athletes in the history of Lynn athletics.
 
If Mertins were to win, she would become the first Fighting Knight and first swimmer since 2001 to be named DII Woman Athlete of the Year, which was introduced in 1988.
 
Lynn has had the honor of featuring three nominees including Mertins since 2023. Women's golf star Maria Hoyos was nominated in 2023 followed by women's tennis standout Salma Djoubri in 2024.
 
The winner of the DII Honda Athlete of the Year will be announced in June live from New York City on the CBS Sports Network.
 
The CWSA official press release can be found here.