University of Georgia Athletics
Lady Bulldogs Sweep SEC Swimming And Diving Individual Awards
April 10, 2014 | Swimming & Diving
April 10, 2014
ATHENS, Ga. --- Brittany MacLean, Laura Ryan, Olivia Smoliga and Shannon Vreeland gave Georgia a clean sweep in the Southeastern Conference women's swimming and diving awards announced on Thursday by the league office.
MacLean was named the SEC Swimmer of the Year, Ryan earned SEC Diver of the Year honors, Smoliga was picked as the SEC Freshman of the Year and Vreeland was selected as the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. In addition, Dan Laak was recognized as the Women's Diving Coach of the Year.
MacLean, a sophomore from Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada, won the 500 and 1,650 freestyle races and was on the victorious 800 freestyle relay at the SECs as the Lady Bulldogs claimed their fifth straight conference title. MacLean followed up that performance by winning the 500 and 1,650 freestyle titles at the NCAAs and earning Swimmer of the Meet honors to help Georgia win its second consecutive national championship.
Ryan, a senior from Elk River, Minn., finished first on 3-meter, second on platform and third on 1-meter at the SECs and was chosen as the Diver of the Meet. At the NCAAs, she became Georgia's first national champion as she won the 1- and 3-meter titles and was picked as the Diver of the Meet.
Smoliga, a freshman from Glenville, Ill., won the 50 and 100 freestyle at the SECs and helped the 200 medley and the 200 and 400 freestyle relays finish first. She earned the Commissioner's Trophy for high-point honors. Smoliga continued her success at the NCAAs as she won the national title in the 50 freestyle.
Vreeland, a senior from Overland Park, Kansas, boasts a 3.83 grade point average in Economics. She is a recipient of the Ramsey Scholarship for Academic and Athletic Excellence, and she previously has been recognized as an Academic All-American and Scholar All-American. Vreeland won the 200 freestyle and was on the victorious 400 and 800 freestyle relays at the SECs. She ended her career as a 19-time All-American, a seven-time SEC champion and a four-time NCAA champion.
Laak earned Diving Coach of the Year honors for the fourth time, but for the first time on the women's side. He coached gold medalists Ryan and Ann-Perry Blank (1-meter) at the SEC meet and then oversaw Ryan's record-setting performance at the NCAAs. Laak just completed his 27th season at Georgia.
The All-SEC First Team featured 11 Lady Bulldogs: MacLean, Ryan, Smoliga, Vreeland, Blank, Jessica Graber, Lauren Harrington, Maddie Locus, Melanie Margalis, Amber McDermott and Chantal Van Landeghem. Hali Flickinger, Annie Zhu and Rachel Zilinskas made the Second Team, and Smoliga and Zilinskas headlined the All-Freshman Team.
On the men's side, SEC champions Nicolas Fink (100 breaststroke) and Chase Kalisz (400 individual medley) were chosen for the First Team. Taylor Dale, Andrew Gemmell, Matias Koski, Doug Reynolds, Ty Stewart and Michael Trice made the Second Team, while Dale and Pace Clark were selected for the All-Freshman Team.
First-Team All-SEC honors went to student-athletes who finished first in each event, including on relays, Second-Team All-SEC honors went to the second- and third-place finishers, and the top freshman finisher in each event was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team.
| Men's Swimmer of the Year: | Marcin Cieslak, Florida |
| Women's Swimmer of the Year: | Brittany MacLean, Georgia |
| Men's Diver of the Year: | Mauricio Robles, Tennessee |
| Women's Diver of the Year: | Laura Ryan, Georgia |
| Men's Freshman Swimmer of the Year: | Mitch D'Arrigo, Florida |
| Women's Freshman Swimmer of the Year: | Olivia Smoliga, Georgia |
| Men's Freshman Diver of the Year: | Jordan Gotro, South Carolina |
| Men's Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year: | T.J. Leon, Auburn |
| Men's Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year: | Brad deBorde, Florida |
| Women's Scholar-Athlete of the Year: | Shannon Vreeland, Georgia |
| Men's Swimming Coach of the Year: | Gregg Troy, Florida |
| Women's Swimming Coach of the Year: | Steve Bultman, Texas A&M |
| Co-Men's Diving Coach of the Year: | Jeff Shaffer, Auburn |
| Co-Men's Diving Coach of the Year: | Jamie Sweeney, Missouri |
| Women's Diving Coach of the Year: | Dan Laak, Georgia |
| Men's Swimmer of the Meet: | Sebastien Rousseau, Florida |
| Women's Swimmer of the Meet: | Breeja Larson, Texas A&M |
| Men's Diver of the Meet: | Ford McLiney, Texas A&M |
| Women's Diver of the Meet: | Laura Ryan, Georgia |
| Men's All-SEC First Team |
|---|
| Marcelo Chierighini, Auburn |
| Marcin Cieslak, Florida |
| Kyle Darmody, Auburn |
| Brad deBorde, Florida |
| James Disney-May, Auburn |
| Michael Duderstadt, Auburn |
| Nic Fink, Georgia |
| Arthur Frayler, Florida |
| Christian-Paul Homer, Florida |
| Chase Kalisz, Georgia |
| Sean Lehane, Tennessee |
| T.J. Leon, Auburn |
| Corey Main, Florida |
| Anton McKee, Alabama |
| Ford McLiney, Texas A&M |
| Arthur Mendes, Auburn |
| Sebastien Rousseau, Florida |
| John Santieu, Auburn |
| Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez, Florida |
| Dan Wallace, Florida |
| Men's All-SEC Second Team |
|---|
| Jack Blyzinskyj, Florida |
| David Bonuchi, Missouri |
| Vlad Caciuc, Alabama |
| Matthew Curby, Florida |
| Mitch D'Arrigo, Florida |
| Taylor Dale, Georgia |
| Greg Ferrucci, Kentucky |
| Andrew Gemmell, Georgia |
| Kristian Gkolomeev, Alabama |
| Zane Grothe, Auburn |
| BJ Hornikel, Alabama |
| Matias Koski, Georgia |
| Gustav Aberg Ledjstrom, Tennessee |
| Fraser McKean, Auburn |
| Connor Oslin, Alabama |
| Luke Percy, Tennessee |
| Sam Rairden, Tennessee |
| Doug Reynolds, Georgia |
| Mauricio Robles, Tennessee |
| Connor Signorin, Florida |
| Tristan Slater, Tennessee |
| Ty Stewart, Georgia |
| Michael Trice, Georgia |
| Brett Walsh, Alabama |
| Pawel Werner, Alabama |
| Men's SEC All-Freshman Team |
|---|
| Pace Clark, Georgia |
| Mitch D'Arrigo, Florida |
| Taylor Dale, Georgia |
| Kyle Darmody, Auburn |
| Michael Duderstadt, Auburn |
| Brandon Flynn, Kentucky |
| Jordan Gotro, South Carolina |
| Cam Jones, Auburn |
| Anton McKee, Alabama |
| Connor Oslin, Alabama |
| Joe Patching, Auburn |
| Brent Sagert, Alabama |
| Women's All-SEC First Team |
|---|
| Cammile Adams, Texas A&M |
| Elizabeth Beisel, Florida |
| Ann-Perry Blank, Georgia |
| Kaylin Burchell, Alabama |
| Jessica Graber, Georgia |
| Molly Hannis, Tennessee |
| Lauren Harrington, Georgia |
| Lili Ibanez-Lopez, Texas A&M |
| Tori Lamp, Tennessee |
| Breeja Larson, Texas A&M |
| Maddie Locus, Georgia |
| Brittany MacLean, Georgia |
| Melanie Margalis, Georgia |
| Amber McDermott, Georgia |
| Caroline McElhany, Texas A&M |
| Paige Miller, Texas A&M |
| Laura Ryan, Georgia |
| Olivia Smoliga, Georgia |
| Chantal VanLandeghem, Georgia |
| Shannon Vreeland, Georgia |
| Ellese Zalewski, Florida |
| Women's All-SEC Second Team |
|---|
| Christina Bechtel, Kentucky |
| Kelli Benjamin, Texas A&M |
| Sammie Bosma, Texas A&M |
| Harper Bruens, Tennessee |
| Erica Dittmer, Texas A&M |
| Hali Flickinger, Georgia |
| Lindsey Gendron, Tennessee |
| Molly Hannis, Tennessee |
| Sarah Henry, Texas A&M |
| Natalie Hinds, Florida |
| Faith Johnson, Tennessee |
| Hilda Luthersdottir, Florida |
| Lindsey McKnight, Florida |
| Meredith Oliver, Texas A&M |
| Lauren Reedy, Missouri |
| Sinead Russell, Florida |
| Lauren Solernou, Tennessee |
| Cherelle Thompson, Tennessee |
| Cassie Weil, LSU |
| Annie Zhu, Georgia |
| Rachel Zilinskas, Georgia |
| Women's SEC All-Freshman Team |
|---|
| Bridget Blood, Alabama |
| Kendal Casey, Kentucky |
| Delaney Dye, Florida |
| Madison Hudkins, Texas A&M |
| Taylor Katz, Florida |
| Lindsay Keahey, Kentucky |
| Kara Kopcso, LSU |
| Sycerika McMahon, Texas A&M |
| Allyx Purcell, Auburn |
| Olivia Smoliga, Georgia |
| Ellie Suek, Missouri |
| Danielle Valley, Florida |
| Rachel Zilinskas, Georgia |
