Trio repeats as athletic/academic champs

Three student-athletes remain on top in their sport and studies — Charlotte Frere ’26, Charlotte Newport ’25 and Ocean Akau ’25. All three are repeat Academic All-American honorees, a feat achieved by only a few Vikings through the years.

"Being recognized as an Academic All-American is the most significant recognition that any collegiate student-athlete can earn as it requires a high degree of academic and athletic excellence,” said Mike Zapolski, Augustana’s director of athletics. “Charlotte, Charlotte and Ocean have each excelled in the classroom and in their athletic pursuits, and it's rewarding to see them recognized again for their commitment to excellence."

Now with 187 Academic All-Americans, Augustana ranks first in the CCIW and in Illinois, seventh among all DIII schools, and 14th among all DI, DII and DIII schools.

Meet Augustana’s three newest Academic All-Americans:

There’s no stopping discus-thrower Charlotte Frere ’26, who was named a First Team Academic All-American by College Sports Communicators (CSC). She becomes the first Viking to capture back-to-back First Team honors since soccer star Hannah Lohmeier ’17 got it done nearly a decade ago.

A double major in biology and kinesiology from Preemption, Ill., Frere continued her reign as a national powerhouse this past outdoor season, capturing her second consecutive NCAA DIII title in the discus. She now holds the distinction of being the first woman in Augustana track & field history to claim two national championships.

Indoor and outdoor combined, Frere owns the fifth national title for the Augustana women's track & field program and the fourth during outdoor season.

If that’s not impressive enough … in May, she was named the USTFCCCA Women’s Field Athlete of the Year for the Midwest Region, after crushing the competition with a 53.10m throw earlier in the year. That mark? It’s the third farthest throw in DIII history and the best in the event in 23 years.

Frere is rewriting the history books, with her senior year yet to come.

Charlotte Newport ’25 and Ocean Akau ’25, both members of the Vikings women's water polo team, were honored as CSC Academic All-Americans in the Women's At-Large category.

Newport, from Baytown, Texas, earned First Team honors after being selected for the Second Team in 2024. It’s the latest in a lengthy list of achievements for Newport, who also grabbed her third career First Team All-CWPA* selection and wrapped up the season with a well-deserved spot on the All-Tournament Team at the 2025 USA Water Polo Division III National Tournament.

In the pool, Newport was nothing short of dominant this season. She led the Vikings in goals (40) and assists (33), while also posting 24 drawn exclusions, 31 steals and 10 field blocks — a stat line that won All-American recognition. After four years of competition, she is the school record holder in assists (121).

But Newport’s excellence goes beyond the pool. This spring, she was named one of only 21 female student-athletes nationwide to receive the highly coveted $10,000 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. A history major at Augustana, Newport will attend The University of Texas School of Law this fall.

Akau, of Pana'ewa, Hawai'i, pushed herself in competition and in the classroom to collect Second Team CSC Academic All-American honors this year, after being selected for the Third Team in 2024.

This season she received an Honorable Mention ACWPC** All-American nod and earned her fourth straight All-CWPA recognition. A consistent offensive force, Akau ranked second for the Vikings behind Newport with 35 goals, and also contributed 22 steals and 11 assists.

After graduating with a bachelor’s in psychology, Akau is now set for her next goal: a master’s in applied behavior analysis at Brigham Young University.

* All-Collegiate Water Polo Association (All-CWPA)

** Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC)

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