April 23, 2009
IOWA CITY, IA — University of Iowa sophomores Conor Dwyer and Katarina Tour were named Hawkeye swimming team MVPs, while juniors Michael Gilligan and Deidre Freeman were named diving MVPs at Iowa’s team awards banquet, recently. The Hawkeyes also named team captains for the 2009-10 season. Junior Stacia Johns, sophomore Verity Hicks and freshman Danielle Carty were chosen as the women’s captains, while Dwyer and junior Nick Divan will captain the men’s squad in their final season at the Field House Pool.
Dwyer, who earned the Armbruster/Patton Men’s Swimming MVP Award for the second straight year, broke the 15-year-old 100 free school record at the Big Ten Championships with his collegiate-best swim of 43.67 and posted NCAA B cuts in three individual events and as part of three relays. Dwyer was Iowa’s top placewinner at the Big Ten meet, finishing fourth in the 200 free, 11th in the 100 free and 12th in the 500 free. He was named Big Ten Swimmer of the Week twice during the 2008-09 season, becoming the first Hawkeye to earn the honor more than once in the same season.
Tour set women’s school records in the 100 breast (1:01.45), 100 fly (54.61) and 200 IM (2:01.33), and swam on the school-record setting 200 medley (1:41.33) and 400 free (3:21.27) relays. Both relay times and her 100 breast mark also met NCAA B cuts.
Gilligan earned the “Lobby” Lobdell Men’s Diving MVP Award for the second time in his career, setting the school platform record of 335.45 at the Big Ten Championships. Freeman was named the Nancilea Underwood Women’s Diving MVP for leading the Hawkeyes on the one-meter (300.90) and three-meter (330.98) boards. She also earned team’s high point award at Big Ten Championships, placing eighth on three-meter (301.65) and 12th on one-meter (253.50). Named Big Ten Diver of the Week in November, Freeman and Tour were two of Iowa’s 25 academic all-Big Ten selections for 2008-09.
Hawkeye senior Drew DeLashmutt and juniors Ryan Evans and Nick Divan rounded out the men’s award winners. DeLashmutt earned the Jim Marshall Award, which is annually presented to the senior who has contributed the best of his athletic ability to the Hawkeye team. A four-year letterwinner and two-time academic all-Big Ten honoree, DeLashmutt posted collegiate bests on the one-meter and three-meter diving boards this season. Evans earned the Irving B. Weber Award, which is given to the men’s team member who displays outstanding leadership. A two-year letterwinner, Evans was also named Iowa’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner in February. Divan earned the team’s Strength and Conditioning Achievement Award. He posted NCAA B cuts in 500 free (4:21.25) and 1,650 free (15:14.78), and as part of 800 free relay (6:32.74), as well as lead the team in the 1,000 free (9:27.50).
Freshman Daniela Cubelic and junior Stacia Johns won awards for the Hawkeye women’s team. Cubelic earned the Alison Pennington Haddon Strength of Character Award, which is presented to the women’s team member who exemplifies the qualities of integrity, authenticity, dedication, work ethic, perseverance, loyalty, encouragement and leadership. Cubelic swam on the school-record setting 200 free (1:32.37), 200 medley (1:42.43) and 400 free (3:21.27) relays at Big Ten Championships, and led the team in 200 back (2:00.67) in her first year at Iowa. Johns is a three-year letterwinner and two-time academic all-Big Ten selection, who earned the women’s Strength and Conditioning Achievement Award.
Hicks and Carty, who were selected as women’s team tri-captains for next season, also had a strong year for the Hawkeyes. Hicks led Iowa in the 200 free (1:49.48) and 500 free (4:53.94) and earned academic all-Big Ten honors, while Carty swam on the school record-setting 200 medley relay (1:42.43) and led Iowa in the 100 back (55.31). Carty also won Iowa’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award and was named to the 2009 Canada Games team with her performances at the Canadian Spring National Championships in March.
The Hawkeyes posted some solid performances in 2008-09, breaking a combined nine school records and recording 11 NCAA B cut times. The Iowa men’s squad had its best dual record since 1995 posting a 7-1 mark overall and going 4-1 in the Big Ten. The Hawkeye men were also undefeated (4-0) at their own Field House Pool. The Hawkeye women were 7-4 in 2008-09, going 2-3 in the Big Ten.
2008-09 Men’s Team Awards
Armbruster/Patton Men’s Swimming MVP Award: Conor Dwyer
“Lobby” Lobdell Men’s Diving MVP Award: Michael Gilligan
Irving B. Weber Leadership Award: Ryan Evans
Jim Marshall Award: Drew DeLashmutt
Strength and Conditioning Achievement Award: Nick Divan
2008-09 Women’s Team Awards
Women’s Swimming MVP Award: Katarina Tour
Nancilea Underwood Diving MVP Award: Deidre Freeman
Pennington/Strength of Character Award: Daniela Cubelic
Strength and Conditioning Achievement Award: Stacia Johns