WALTHAM, Mass. – Recent Bentley University graduate Nicola Mancini (Falmouth, Maine/ Falmouth HS), a four-time All-America who plans to return this coming year for her final season of eligibility, has been named a Scholar All-America by the College Swim Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) for her combined success in the pool and in the classroom.

Also recognized by the CSCAA, as an honorable mention Scholar All-America, was rising junior Emily Niemiec (Meriden, Conn./Francis T. Maloney HS).

The Scholar All-America team recognizes those student-athletes who have achieved a grade point average of 3.50 or higher and have participated in the NCAA Championships. Honorable mention recognition goes to those with at least a 3.50 GPA and a "B" cut time in the pool.

Mancini, who graduated Cum Laude after majoring in marketing, earned her fourth career Division II All-America award in March when she finished sixth in the three meters at the NCAA Division II Championships in Indianapolis. Her score at the nationals, 471.30, broke her own school record, and capped a day in which she battled back from a slow start in the prelims.

Mancini's list of accolades from this past season included Northeast-10 Conference Women's Diver of the Year for the third time, the NE-10 Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence award for women's swimming and diving, Bentley's Outstanding Female Senior Athlete and team co-MVP. She finished first in the NE-10 Championships in both diving events for the third time, having previously done so in 2013 and 2014.

Niemiec's B cuts were achieved in both the 200 yard individual medley and the 400 IM during the NE-10 Championships. She set school records and placed second in both with times of 2:06.50 (200) and 4:30.36 (400).

Also during the conference championships, Niemiec repeated as champion in the 200 breaststroke, winning by 0.39 seconds in 2:23.18, and helped the Falcons to second in the 400 free relay in a school-record time (3:32.70).

The Bentley men's and women's swimming and diving teams both received Scholar All-America Team Awards from the CSCAA for their academic performance during the spring semester after also doing so following the fall.

The women's team had an impressive 3.47 grade point average and the men's team registered a 3.30.

Both Bentley teams excelled in the pool as well as in the classroom this past year. The men's team placed second in the Northeast-10 Championships and the women's team finished third after posting a 10-2 dual record.