Wheaton, Ill. - Anthony Fitzgerald, a May 2024 graduate of Wheaton, was selected as the 2023-24 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Men's Student-Athlete of the Year as announced by the league on Friday. Fitzgerald's selection marks the third time that a Wheaton athlete receives the award as he joins the 2018-19 award winner Leif Van Grinsven, and 2019-20 winner Corey Kennedy as Wheaton's three honorees in the award's 17 years.

Fitzgerald was chosen through a voting process conducted by the CCIW Senior Woman Administrators and Faculty Athletics Representatives. He is the first men's swimming & diving student-athlete from among the CCIW's nine member schools to receive the award.

The CCIW Men's Student-Athlete of the Year award honors senior male student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership. The award was established in 2008 to recognize the conference's top male student-athlete, similar to the NCAA's recognition of its top female student-athlete with the Woman of the Year award, which the CCIW participates in by submitting a female nominee at the end of each academic year.

Fitzgerald says of the accolade, "I am so honored to receive this award. I want to express my appreciation for all of my family, amazing teammates, friends, supportive coaches, professors, and gracious competitors across the CCIW who have made my collegiate athletic career so memorable. Most importantly, my time at Wheaton has helped me learn that I am "Free to Swim" in Christ."

Fitzgerald graduated summa cum laude from Wheaton in May with a degree in Political Science, posting a 3.95 cumulative GPA in his four years at Wheaton. He is a two-time College Sports Communicators Division III Academic All-American, earning Second Team honors in 2023 and First Team recognition in 2024. He twice received the CCIW's Jack Swartz Award for winter student-athletes given to the top male and female student-athletes from each school in each season (fall, winter, spring). Fitzgerald placed on the Dean's List every semester at Wheaton. He is a member of three academic honor societies: Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honors Society; Pi Kappa Delta Honors Society for Forensics/Debate Team; and Lambda Pi Eta Communications Honor Society.

Fitzgerald earned three All-America honors during his career in the 200-yard breaststroke, one All-America award in the 100-yard breaststroke, and two honorable mention All-America accolades in the 100-yard breaststroke. Last spring at the NCAA Division III Championships, he finished third in the 200-yard breaststroke in 1:56.83, the 11th-fastest time in Division III history. He was also a national qualifier in the 100-yard butterfly. At the conference level, Fitzgerald was an 11-time winner at the CCIW Championships, a three-time CCIW Student-Athlete of the Year in men's swimming and twice won Student-Athlete of the Meet at the CCIW Championships. He owns CCIW and Wheaton records in the 100-yard breaststroke, 200-yard breaststroke and 200-yard individual medley.

Among the service and ministry work done by Fitzgerald in his time at Wheaton, he served as the Senior Class President for the Wheaton College Student Government. Additionally, he was a men's small group leader for three years. When he wasn't on Wheaton's campus, he served as a volunteer swim coach for the Irvine Swim league and volunteered at the Trellis Homeless Storage Center in his home state of California.