The University of Akron Athletics
Nuhfer Named MAC Nominee for 2025 NCAA Woman of the Year Award
August 25 | Women's Swimming & Diving
AKRON, Ohio – University of Akron women's swimmer Grace Nuhfer was selected as the Mid-American Conference nominee for the 2025 NCAA Woman of the Year Award, along with Ball State's track and field athlete, Jenelle Rogers, the league announced on Monday.
The NCAA's Woman of the Year Selection Committee will announce the Top 30 finalists in October from all of the conference-level nominees.
Nuhfer graduated from the University of Akron in May 2025 with a 3.77 GPA. The four-year member of the Zips Swimming and Diving program was named to the All-MAC Academic Team the past three seasons while being named to the CSC Academic All-District Team in 2025.
Nuhfer, a native of Greenwood, Ind., was born with Brittle Cornea Syndrome, a type of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome characterized by corneal thinning and loose ligaments in joints. An active child who loved sports, Nuhfer began swimming competitively at the age of seven. She was a valuable member for the Akron swimming and diving program and continued to make her mark in the sport by earning a spot on the United States Paralympic team.
As a Para swimmer, Nuhfer set multiple records and earned a spot on the US Paralympic team for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris. Along with competing at the Paris Paralympics, Nuhfer represented Team USA at numerous events, including the Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile, earning a silver medal.
At the Paris Paralympics, Nuhfer took Silver in the 100 Fly with a time of 1:03.88, finishing just .61 seconds behind the top time. She also competed in the 100 Back, 50 Free and 200 IM for Team USA. She became the first Paralympian to represent the Akron Blue and Gold, and just the third American to compete in any Olympic event for Akron.
In 2024-2025, she broke the S13 record in the 200 Fly with a time of 2:22.78, eclipsing the previous record of 2:24.07, at the TYR Pro Swim Series on April 5, 2025.
The previous S13 200 fly world-record holder was Italy's Carlotta Gilli, who posted a time of 2:24.07 in 2018. Gilli also won the gold medal in the S13 100 fly (1:03.27), finishing just ahead of Nuhfer.
Nuhfer also set the S13 record in the 100 Fly with a time of 56.65, breaking her own record of 56.85, which she set at the MAC Championships in 2024.
On Sunday, May 25, 2025, Nuhfer was named the Lake Erie Para Athlete of the Year.
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