Swimming and Diving Team Awards Announced

04.08.2008 | Swimming and Diving

By: cyclones.com

AMES, Iowa ? Abby Glaser was named Most Valuable Swimmer and Tien Tran took home Most Valuable Diver honors as the Iowa State swimming and diving team held its annual awards banquet at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center Sunday afternoon.

Glaser, a sophomore from Elburn, Ill., earned all-Big 12 second team honors by breaking the school record with a 54.17 in the butterfly at the Big 12 Championships. Glaser earned six individual first-place finishes on the year and was a member of three first-place relay teams.

Tran, a sophomore from Greenwood, Ind., earned first place on 10 occasions this season. She had a clutch second-place finish on the platform at the Big 12 Championships that helped ISU edge out Nebraska for fifth place. In addition to earning first-team all-Big 12 honors on the platform, Tran was a second-team honoree on the 3-meter.

The Most Improved Swimmer was Lindsay Wegner, whose 2:02.82 in the 200 backstroke at the Big 12 meet was a personal best and the fourth-fastest time in school history.

Kali Fryklund was the Most Improved Diver, setting a personal best in the platform to finish sixth and earn second-team all-conference honors at the Big 12 meet. She also finished first in the 3-meter against Iowa to help the Cyclones defeat the Hawkeyes for the first time since 2003.

Jeli Nixt garnered Newcomer of the Year honors. The Portland, Ore., native captured two wins on the season. Nixt swam a 1:03.81 in the 100 breaststroke to earn all-Big 12 second-second team accolades.

The Melissa Fender Award, which goes to the student-athlete that is proud of her school, proud to wear the school colors and proud to be a member of the swimming and diving team, was given to Maddie Crawford and Lindsay Wiesner . The recipients are also chosen because they know the traditions of the school, support of the team and their understanding of the importance of getting a good education.

The Cyclone Relay Swimmer went to Lindsey Behrens, who was a member of the school-record setting 400 medley relay team at the Big 12 Championships.

Rounding out the award winners was Marni Benson, who took home the Kerry O'Brien Award. The Kerry O'Brien Award is given annually to the student-athlete that demonstrates the personal commitment necessary to achieve improvement to a national championship level. Benson garnered second-team all-league honors in the 100 and 200 breaststroke.

The Cyclones also announced their captains for the upcoming season. Benson, Crawford, Fryklund and Britt Samuelson will serve as captains for the 2008-09 season.

2007-08 Award Winners
Most Valuable Swimmer: Abby Glaser
Most Valuable Diver: Tien Tran
Most Improved Swimmer: Lindsay Wegner
Most Improved Diver: Kali Fryklund
Newcomer of the Year: Jeli Nixt
The Melissa Fender Award: Maddie Crawford and Lindsay Wiesner
Cyclone Relay Swimmer: Lindsey Behrens
Kerry O'Brien Award: Marni Benson