Jan. 10, 2012
ATLANTA – Freshman swimmer Kate Woolbright was honored Tuesday by the Atlantic Coast Conference as its women’s swimming & diving performer of the week.
Woolbright won two individual events – the 1,000 free and 500 free – and bested large fields of 13 and 16 swimmers in the two respective finals. The native of Clermont, Fla. posted the 13th-best time in the conference this season in the 1,000 free (10:07.52) to help the Jackets sweep Florida Gulf Coast, Liberty, and North Dakota.
“This is a great honor for Kate and I’m proud of the improvement she has made during her freshman season,” said head coach Courtney Shealy Hart. “Kate’s was one of a number of very good performances this past weekend and I look forward to our team keeping that momentum going Saturday against two conference teams at home.”
Her time in the 1,000 free is the fastest by a Yellow Jacket this season and currently ranks second on GT’s all-time list, behind school record holder Elizabeth Stowe’s mark of 9:55.75 in 2008.
Woolbright becomes the first Yellow Jacket to claim an ACC weekly honor since men’s diver Brandon Makinson was recognized in November 2010. She is the first GT female award-winner since diver Hannah Krimm in February 2009 and the program’s first female swimmer since All-American Vesna Stojanovska in January 2005.
The Jackets return home Saturday to host Florida State and NC State in ACC action. The meet begins at 11 a.m. at the GT Aquatic Center.
