DAVIS, Calif. - UC Davis swimmer Ella Ackerman was named Big West Freshman of the Year, the conference announced Friday. 

Ackerman received the honor after a standout performance at the Big West Championships. Focusing her energy on the distance and medley events throughout the season, with that hard work paying off in the postseason, where she scored major points for the Ags, helping them finish second overall at the Championships. 

In the 500 freestyle, she led UC Davis with a ninth-place finish of 4:51.53. On day three of the championships, Ackerman touched first in the A final of the 400 IM, making her the event's Big West Champion with a time of 4:15.47. She also scored major points for her team, touching fifth in the A final of the 200-meter butterfly on day four of the championships. 

Ackerman's breakout freshman campaign signals a bright future for the Aggies, as she quickly established herself as one of the conference's top distance and IM competitors. With her first Big West title secured, she will look to build on this momentum heading into her sophomore season.