Bowling Green, KY — One of the most decorate swimmer's in the Patriots men's swimming & diving program, Ruthiik Satti, has been named the 2025-2026 Mid-South Conference Men's Student-Athlete of the Year, conference officials announced Wednesday.  Satti becomes the first Patriots men's swimmer to earn this distinction and the 12^th UC student-athlete to garner this honor.

"I set out this year to prove what consistent work could do, and this is proof it paid off. I owe a lot of it to the coaches and teammates who pushed me all season," said Satti.

The senior was a pivotal part of the Cumberlands swimming & diving program for the past four years, helping lead them to a quartet of Mid-South Conference Championships, along with four top-four finishes.  In his senior season, Satti captured a NAIA national title in the 100 back, clocking a winning time of 48.09, while being a four-time NAIA All-American, and a six-time MSC All-Conference selection.  He was also part of UC's 200 medley relay (1:27.87) and 400 medley relay (3:13.19) that posted national runner-up finishes while setting new school records. Those efforts helped the Patriots post a national runner-up team finish, which was their highest finish in program history.

Satti has been one of the Patriots most consistent swimmers throughout his four-year career in Williamsburg.  The Hyderabad, India native is a program-best 15x CSCAA & NAIA All-American.  During his junior campaign, Satti was named the Mid-South Conference Swimmer of the Year to go along with being a six-time NAIA All-American.  Over his first two years at Cumberlands, Satti was a seven-time NAIA All-American, seven-time MSC All-Conference honor, and a three-time MSC First Team All-Conference selection.

The senior has etched her name into the Patriots record books.  In addition to the two relay records that were broke this season, Satti was also a member of the Patriots school record free relay that clocked a 6:41.23 at the 2024 NAIA Championships. He has also posted four times that rank top-five in program history, including holding the second fastest 100 back with a 48.02.  His 1:46.28 ranks third in program history, while Satti is ranked fourth in both the 100 fly (48.57) and 200 IM (1:50.59). 

Off the field, Satti has been just as consistent. A top student in the classroom, Satti earned a triple major in Business Administration, Information Technology, and Marketing. He was named the 2026 CSC Men's Swimming & Diving Team Member of the Year, while earning CSC First Team Academic All-America honors twice.  Satti is a three-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete and MSC Academic All-Conference selection.  In addition, the senior is a J.T. Vallandingham Scholastic Honor Society and the winner of the BoomUC Pitch Competition for entrepreneurship and innovation. 
 
"Winning Student-Athlete of the Year is such a well-deserved honor for Ruthiik," said Assistant Coach Karolina Bidnik. "The incredible focus and drive he puts into the pool every day, which led to him becoming a National Champion in the 100 backstroke is exactly what he brings to his classes. He doesn't take shortcuts anywhere. Ruthiik sets the standard for what a true student-athlete should be, and our entire program is incredibly proud to see his dedication recognized at the highest level."
 
The Patriots will open the 2026-27 swim season on October 3^rd, when they host Carson-Newman. 
 
For the latest and most up-to-date information on University of the Cumberlands Athletics, please visit www.cumberlandspatriots.com. Follow us on Twitter - @UC_Patriots, Instagram - @UCPatriots, YouTube – Cumberlands Patriots, and Facebook by searching University of the Cumberlands Athletics.
 
What People are Saying:
 
"Ruthiik is one of those rare students who excels simultaneously as a scholar, athlete, entrepreneur, and servant leader. His accomplishments reflect not only talent but also an exceptional level of discipline, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to personal growth." – Dr. Daniel A. Kanyam, Dean School of Business and Communication

"Ruthiik was a huge part of the team, he was a leader and was a great guy to be around. He constantly pushed others around them to be the best versions of themselves in the pool. He always left everything in the water whether it be in practice or in a meet. I'm super proud and happy that Ruthiik is getting this award, he absolutely deserves it. Seeing him win at nationals was a dream come true and a fulfillment of everything he had put into the water these past 4 years." – Will Gilbert, Teammate