CARMEL, Ind. - The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) announced the winners of the 2026 Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Athletes of the Year awards on Friday with Transylvania senior Kole Brannock (Georgetown, Ky.) being honored on the men’s side and Franklin’s Celeste Hollis (Granger, Ind.) earning recognition for the women.
 
The HCAC Male and Female Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Year honors looks at a swimmer or diver's entire body of work over the course of a season, including any postseason appearances.
 
Brannrock was a key contributor to the Pioneers’ squad this year and picked up three individual HCAC titles this year. He placed first in the 100 butterfly, the 100 backstroke, and the 200 backstroke, helping the Kentucky-native earn Co-Swimmer of the Meet honors. His best times in those events came at the conference championships and were 49.92, 50.86, and 1:51.56, respectively. 

On the women’s side, Hollis took home the honor for the second year in a row as she was named Co-Athlete of the Year for the 2024-25 season.

Hollis was one of only two HCAC swimmers to qualify for the 2026 NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships. She competed in the 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, and 200 butterfly, placing 18th in the 100 fly. Her performance at the HCAC Championship Meet saw her claiming two individual gold medals (100 butterfly and 200 butterfly), plus four additional titles as part of Franklin’s 200 freestyle, 200 medley, 400 medley, and 400 freestyle relay teams. Her 100 fly time of 55.25 was also a meet and open record in the HCAC. Hollis left her mark in the Franklin record books setting new records in all three events this season.

For more information on HCAC Swimming and Diving, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the HCAC's home on the internet at www.heartlandconf.org. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference news by following @HCACDIII on X and by liking the "HCAC DIII" Facebook page.