April 24, 2006
ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams handed out the 2006 team awards, announced by head coach Stuart Wilson on Monday.
Fred Lanoue Athletic Achievement Award
The most prestigous award handed out by the team, the Fred Lanuoe Award is given to the student-athlete who brings the highest recognition to the Institute, through their outstanding athletic achievements.
Men’s Winner/Women’s Winner
Evan Stowers/Ashley Kracke
Shilo Ayalon Most Valuable Athlete Award
This award is presented in recognition to the student-athlete that performed consistently, throughout the season, at the highest level of athletic achievement and contributed to the overall success of the Georgia Tech swimming and diving team.
Men’s Winner/Women’s Winner
Teemu Kettunen/Stephanie England
Chapman/Hiles Most Improved Athlete Award
Named after John Chapman and Johnny Hiles, this award is given to the student-athlete with the greatest athletic improvements throughout the year of competition. Men’s Winner/Women’s Winner
Jason Bourgeois
Tommy Towles Scholar-Athlete Award
This is award is presented to the student-athlete who possesses the highest level of performance, scholarship and leadership in making Georgia Tech a better Institute and swimming and diving program. Men’s Winner/Women’s Winner
Ofer Finkler/Katie McGraw
J. Herb McAuley Freshman Unity Award
Named after longtime coach J. Herb McAuley, this award is given to the student-athlete who exemplifies the standards of leadership and team unity through their personal actions in and out of the swimming and diving pool. Men’s Winner/Women’s Winner
Chris Lee/Caroline Jones
MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
NCAA: T-33rd (12 PTS)
ACC: 4TH (371 PTS)
Record: 4-6, 2-3 ACC
* Posted its sixth consecutive Top-35 finish at NCAA Championships
* Hosted first ever Men’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships
* Finished in the top-four at ACC Championships for the fifth time in six seasons
* Evan Stowers became the first Tech diver to qualify for NCAA Championships
* Stowers finished seventh on platform to become just the second GT athlete to post a top-eight finish at the national meet, garnering All-America honors
* Sam Morgan became the first Tech swimmer and/or diver to compete at four consecutive NCAA Championships
* Stowers won an ACC Championship on the three-meter springboard
* Stowers earned All-ACC honors on the one- and three-meter boards
* Morgan finished runner-up in the 1650-yard freestyle to garner all-conference honors for the second consecutive season at the ACC meet
* Four divers qualified for NCAA Zone Diving Championships, the most in Tech history
* Five School Record were broken; 50 free (Teemu Kettunen), 400 free relay (Jason Howard, Brian Huff, Ofer Finkler, Kettunen), 1-Meter and 3-Meter (Tony Burkhardt) and Platform (Stowers)
* Nine Yellow Jackets posted NCAA ‘B’ standard qualifying times; Ryan Bishop (200 IM, 400 IM), Noah Copeland (200 free, 800 free relay), Chris Ewald (500 free, 800 free relay), Finkler (800 free relay), Howard (800 free relay), Kettunen (100 butterfly), Rob Miller (500 free, 1650 free), Morgan (500 free, 1650 free, 400 IM), Alex Williams (100 breaststroke)
WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
NCAA: N/A
ACC: 9th (189 pts.)
Record: 4-5, 1-4 ACC
* Three swimmers posted NCAA ‘B’ standard qualifying times; Ashley Kracke (200 backstroke), Vesna Stojanovska (200 freestyle, 500 free) and Elizabeth Stowe (1650 free)
* Three school records were broken; 1- and 3-meter (Laurissa Prystaj) and Platform (Stephanie England)
* England posted first ever top-8 finish at the NCAA Zone Diving Championships, finishing sixth on the platform
* Won four of final five dual meets
* Finished second of eight teams at the Georgia Tech Invitational, behind No. 16 Florida State
* Kracke awarded ACC Postgraduate Scholarship
* Held Tech’s top GPA for the fall semester with a team average of 3.31
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