MERCED, Calif. - The University of California, Merced women's water polo team placed 14 student-athletes on the WWPA All-Academic Team.
Claudette Asenjo and Makenzie Royal headline the Bobcats honorees after earning All-WWPA honors in April.Â
Freshmen Makayla Hemphill, Madison Marion, and Royal earned a perfect 4.0 GPA in the 2025-26 academic year. Â Overall, the Bobcats placed seven freshmen on the WWPA All-Academic Team which is tied with Concordia University Irvine for the most in the conference.
The WWPA All-Academic Team recognizes student-athletes that have maintained over a 3.0 GPA and have completed a minimum of one semester at their institution.
 2026 WWPA All-Academic Team – UC Merced
Claudette Asenjo, Sr., Management and Business Economics
Abigail Conner, Fr., Biological Sciences
Yaritza Elizondo, So., Economics
Makayla Hemphill, Fr., History
Kaitlyn Kimmel, Sr., Public Health
Madison Marion, Fr., Biological Sciences
Sophia Milton, Fr., Writing Studies
Breyenne Pierce, Sr., Management and Business Economics
Anna Potter, Fr., Biological Sciences
Makenzie Royal, Fr., Public Health
Abigail Shapiro, Fr., Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology
Aislyn Sorsky, Jr., Political Science
Tori Valdez, Sr., Psychology
Kiryn Wicker, So., Public Health