Shania Stone Earns 2026 NCAC Scholar-Athlete Award
Shania Stone ’26 could have walked away a few times during her four years at Wittenberg. But she never did, and the Wittenberg community and Stone are both better off because she stayed – and thrived – as both a student and an athlete.
Stone chose Wittenberg in part because of an opportunity to play water polo, but the sport was discontinued during her freshman year. So, she adapted and joined the swimming and diving team, eventually setting a school record as a senior. Later, one of Stone’s academic pursuits, Chinese, was discontinued. So, she got what she could out of the Chinese program while it was available, and she continued to excel in her major, psychology, and other two minors, art and women’s studies.
Stone persevered, and her positive outlook on her Wittenberg experience is nothing short of inspirational. In recognition of her phenomenal performance in the classroom, record-breaking performances in the pool, and tremendous level of campus involvement, Stone was selected as one of Wittenberg’s two North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Scholar-Athlete Award-Winners for 2026.
Instituted by the NCAC during the 1990-91 school year, the Scholar-Athlete Award annually recognizes one male and one female student-athlete from each member institution for outstanding academic and athletic achievement. Stone and Wittenberg's male NCAC Scholar-Athlete Award-winner for 2025-26, football standout Luke Jackson, were formally recognized during the annual Honors Convocation on April 10, and they will also be celebrated by their peers during the Ezry Awards on Monday, May 4.
“Wittenberg allowed me to get an amazingly well-rounded education, as well as continue parts of my life that I didn’t think was possible as an honors student and athlete,” said Stone, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and graduate of Princeton High School. “I don’t think I could have been as successful at any other school, to be frank. I was able to not only study my passion, I was able to continue athletics, which has always been such an integral part of my life and my identity, continue pursuing art, which I’ve always found so invigorating, relaxing, and a hobby I never want to let die, and I was able to fall in love with a new language and culture, Mandarin/Chinese.”
Stone is appreciative of the guidance she has received from many people across Wittenberg’s campus, starting with Professor of Psychology Mary Jo Zembar, who taught an intro to psychology course that inspired her to pursue a career in the field. She credits the other professors in the Department of Psychology for being “amazing mentors, advocates, and supporters of my college dream,” while also praising her Chinese professors and tutors, Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Women’s Studies Program Heather Wright - who “welcomed me with open arms” - and Professor of Art Scott Dooley and Associate Professor of Art Alejandra Gimenez-Berger for “pushing me to be better than I was the day before with so much grace and care.”
Stone says her Wittenberg experience has been enriched by her sorority sisters of Sigma Kappa, and the opportunity to be inducted into several honor societies, including Chi Alpha Sigma (national academic honor society for college student-athletes), Tri-Alpha (national honor society for first-generation college students), Psi Chi (international honor society in psychology), and Omicron Delta Kappa (national leadership honor society).
Her Wittenberg experience has also included many hours in the Wittenberg Natatorium, starting with an inaugural year playing water polo and three more as a sprint freestyler with the Tiger swimming and diving program. It was an impressive pivot for Stone, who had been a competitive swimmer before switching to water polo in middle school.
“It was definitely unexpected when I found out that the water polo program was being discontinued, but it was honestly a blessing in disguise,” she said. “While I did consider transferring to continue playing water polo, I decided to stay for financial and personal reasons, and so I could be closer to home for my family.
“It was really difficult at first, accepting that my freshman year was my first - and last - year playing water polo in college, but after I talked with Coach Sam (Benedict), I decided to swim! I met some of my best friends, reached times I hadn’t touched since I was 15 years old, made the most amazing memories, and I fell back in love with swimming.”
Stone even had to adapt to a coaching transition during her swimming career at Wittenberg, as Benedict left the program in August 2025. She was replaced by Head Coach Gabe Rastatter in September 2025, but Stone didn’t miss a beat. She improved her times in several events as a senior, highlighted by record-breaking performances in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard Individual Medley.
“The first time I stepped foot in Wittenberg’s natatorium was when I visited after I had already committed to play water polo. Selfishly, I looked up at the record board, looking at the events that I swam throughout high school, and I realized my time from when I was 15 years old would very well compete with the 50 freestyle record,” Stone said. “I spent the next three years swimming, sometimes very frustrated trying to get down to those times. Sometimes, it became mentally exhausting and draining to put myself at such a high expectation, but I learned to love swimming and just leave it all in the pool.
“This past school year, I put my all in swimming, and I finally got the results that I had been looking for after years of hard work, dedication, perseverance, and love for swimming. I had never felt so strong, so connected to the water until I stepped foot in the Wooster High School pool for our midseason invitational. Not only did I hit my PR from high school in the 50-freestyle, I broke the record twice on Day 1. I knew that my dad was looking down at me, so proud and happy to see me finally achieve my dream. After years of wanting it, I finally got it, and the previous record holder, who I idolized and looked at her name every time I was at practice, Dani Lacy, congratulated me! I was in absolute awe of her, and I couldn’t believe how connected I felt to Witt and all of those who swam before me and those that will continue swimming after me!”
Much like the lengthy list of professors who Stone says made an impact upon her over the last four years, she has plenty of people to thank for making her athletic experience a good one as well, including multiple coaches and strength trainers, especially Graduate Assistant Strength Trainer Nick Racketa for his work preparing her for an excellent senior year. Clearly, Stone agrees with the adage that “it takes a village.”
“I truly owe all of my accomplishments and success to all of my family, friends, professors, coaches, and every other supporter, whether in good times or bad times, near or far, loud or quiet – they have been there with me at each step of the journey,” said Stone, who says she is interested in pursuing professional opportunities related to cognitive psychology. “Most importantly, Wittenberg never kept me from being myself, all the smiles, laughs, goofiness, weird jokes, and all of my quirks. I was accepted simply for being myself, and I am very thankful to have had that support and the open arms.”
Written By: Ryan Maurer