Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Swimmers Cimera, Herron Earn MVC's Dr. Charlotte West Scholar-Athlete Award
06/10/2026 | 10:47:00 | General, Swimming & Diving
Southern Illinois University's Alex Cimera and Olivia Herron have been selected as the male and female recipients, respectively, of the Missouri Valley Conference's Dr. Charlotte West Scholar-Athlete Award, presented annually by the league office.
Â
The MVC Faculty Athletics Representatives selected Cimera and Herron from a field of MVC student-athletes who met the award criteria, including academic achievement, athletics excellence and service and leadership.
Â
A two-time All-MVC First Team performer, Cimera has etched his name into the record books. He holds The Valley overall and championship record, as well as the SIU record in the 200-medley relay, as well as the best performance by an 800-yard freestyle team in Saluki program history. Cimera has been tabbed a Jerry Kill Award nominee, which recognizes the top male athlete at SIU, on two occasions while being named the MVC Swimmer of the Week multiple times.
Â
Academically, Cimera has been recognized as a two-time recipient of the Conference's Elite 18 Award, which is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average among top finishers at the league championship. He has also been selected to the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team on multiple occasions, graduating from Southern Illinois with an aviation management and flight degree with a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade-point average.
Â
In his time as a Saluki, Cimera has held various leadership positions within SIU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), including a two-year stint on the executive board and Southern Illinois' male representative on the MVC SAAC. For three years, Cimera served as a Nike swimming and diving camp counselor, while recently wrapping up his service as a volunteer coach with Special Olympics.
Â
The 2025-26 MVC Swimmer of the Year, Herron finishes her illustrious SIU career as a two-time All-American in the 200-yard breaststroke. The 12-time MVC Champion earned 10 Swimmer of the Week honors throughout her career, including five times during her senior season. Herron, a four-time all-conference performer, left her mark on the MVC and Southern Illinois record books, holding four individual MVC overall records, three championship marks and three overall and championship relay records.
Â
For her success in the classroom, Herron is a four-time MVC Scholar-Athlete Team honoree and four-time Academic All-American, including a two-time first-team selection. She was named the MVC Swimming & Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2024-25 and earned the Harold and Nora Kuehn Animal Science Scholarship at Southern Illinois in 2025.
Â
As an animal science major, Herron spent most of her time volunteering at a veterinary clinic and a local animal shelter, while volunteering with the pre-veterinary and block and bridle student organizations at SIU. She also gave back to her peers by serving as a tutor to all biology and chemistry students. In the pool, Herron spent time volunteering at a club swimming camp, as well as a Special Olympics swim meet.
Â
ABOUT DR. CHARLOTTE WEST
The first-ever recipient of the Honda Award of Merit in 1996 for outstanding achievement in women's collegiate athletics, Dr. Charlotte West was a driving force for more than 40 years in the area of advancement of women's sports. On June 30, 1998, she retired from Southern Illinois University, after serving in the capacities of head coach, associate athletics director, interim athletics director and senior woman administrator during her 41 years with the Missouri Valley Conference-member institution. West coached five women's sports from 1957-75 and, in 1982, was among the first group of women inducted into the SIUC Athletics Hall of Fame. She was inducted into the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014. SIU named its softball stadium after West in 2003, and the NCAA named a room in its new national office building in Indianapolis in West's honor in 2012.
Â
During her tenure at SIU, she became the first female member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and later served on the organization's board of directors. West was also a president of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). In 1991, she was presented with the Administrator of the Year Award by the National Association of Collegiate Women Administrators. West also received the Administrator of the Year Award, given by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
Â
Â
The MVC Faculty Athletics Representatives selected Cimera and Herron from a field of MVC student-athletes who met the award criteria, including academic achievement, athletics excellence and service and leadership.
Â
A two-time All-MVC First Team performer, Cimera has etched his name into the record books. He holds The Valley overall and championship record, as well as the SIU record in the 200-medley relay, as well as the best performance by an 800-yard freestyle team in Saluki program history. Cimera has been tabbed a Jerry Kill Award nominee, which recognizes the top male athlete at SIU, on two occasions while being named the MVC Swimmer of the Week multiple times.
Â
Academically, Cimera has been recognized as a two-time recipient of the Conference's Elite 18 Award, which is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average among top finishers at the league championship. He has also been selected to the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team on multiple occasions, graduating from Southern Illinois with an aviation management and flight degree with a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade-point average.
Â
In his time as a Saluki, Cimera has held various leadership positions within SIU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), including a two-year stint on the executive board and Southern Illinois' male representative on the MVC SAAC. For three years, Cimera served as a Nike swimming and diving camp counselor, while recently wrapping up his service as a volunteer coach with Special Olympics.
Â
The 2025-26 MVC Swimmer of the Year, Herron finishes her illustrious SIU career as a two-time All-American in the 200-yard breaststroke. The 12-time MVC Champion earned 10 Swimmer of the Week honors throughout her career, including five times during her senior season. Herron, a four-time all-conference performer, left her mark on the MVC and Southern Illinois record books, holding four individual MVC overall records, three championship marks and three overall and championship relay records.
Â
For her success in the classroom, Herron is a four-time MVC Scholar-Athlete Team honoree and four-time Academic All-American, including a two-time first-team selection. She was named the MVC Swimming & Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2024-25 and earned the Harold and Nora Kuehn Animal Science Scholarship at Southern Illinois in 2025.
Â
As an animal science major, Herron spent most of her time volunteering at a veterinary clinic and a local animal shelter, while volunteering with the pre-veterinary and block and bridle student organizations at SIU. She also gave back to her peers by serving as a tutor to all biology and chemistry students. In the pool, Herron spent time volunteering at a club swimming camp, as well as a Special Olympics swim meet.
Â
ABOUT DR. CHARLOTTE WEST
The first-ever recipient of the Honda Award of Merit in 1996 for outstanding achievement in women's collegiate athletics, Dr. Charlotte West was a driving force for more than 40 years in the area of advancement of women's sports. On June 30, 1998, she retired from Southern Illinois University, after serving in the capacities of head coach, associate athletics director, interim athletics director and senior woman administrator during her 41 years with the Missouri Valley Conference-member institution. West coached five women's sports from 1957-75 and, in 1982, was among the first group of women inducted into the SIUC Athletics Hall of Fame. She was inducted into the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014. SIU named its softball stadium after West in 2003, and the NCAA named a room in its new national office building in Indianapolis in West's honor in 2012.
Â
During her tenure at SIU, she became the first female member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and later served on the organization's board of directors. West was also a president of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). In 1991, she was presented with the Administrator of the Year Award by the National Association of Collegiate Women Administrators. West also received the Administrator of the Year Award, given by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
Â
Players Mentioned
Free/Fly/Back
/ Swimming & Diving
Breast/IM
/ Swimming & DivingTuesday, October 15
Tuesday, October 15
Tuesday, October 15
Tuesday, October 15