🏊♀️ Kansas Swim & Dive Sweeps Big 12 Awards
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas swimming & diving swept the women’s Big 12 athlete of the week awards, the conference office announced on Wednesday, with senior Kate Steward being named the women’s swimmer of the week, sophomore Jiayu Chen named the women’s diver of the week and freshman Addi Barnes named the women’s newcomer of the week.
Wednesday’s awards mark the second time this season the Jayhawks have swept weekly awards, as KU has garnered its fair share of weekly awards this season, earning nine weekly awards to date.
Of them, Steward has won swimmer of the week on three occasions (Jan. 26, Oct. 27, Oct. 6), Barnes has been named newcomer of the week on two occasions (Jan. 26, Nov. 24), and Claudia Dougan (Swimmer of the Week, Nov. 24), Elliot Howe (Newcomer of the Week, Oct. 27), Chen (Diver of the Week, Jan. 26) and Lauren Gryboski (Diver of the Week, Oct. 27).
All three award winners are coming off strong performances at Kansas’ dual against Arkansas on Senior Day where Kansas notched five event wins despite falling to the Razorbacks, 134-165.
In her last competition inside Robinson Natatorium, Steward swam to a win and three second place finishes in the Jayhawks’ dual against Arkansas. Steward won the 200 IM by finishing in 2:02.96, while also finishing second in both the 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke, and contributed on KU’s 200 medley relay, finishing second.
On the diving board, Chen had a pair of strong performances by registering a score of 324.90 in the 3-meter dive to win the event, followed by a second-place finish in the 1-meter dive, scoring 287.40.
Barnes, of Overland Park, Kan., continued her impressive freshman campaign by picking up some crucial points for the Jayhawks against the Razorbacks, winning the 500 freestyle in 5:03.43 and placing second in the 1,000 freestyle in 10:24.21.
The Jayhawks will return to the pool on February 4-5, when they travel to Ames, Iowa to compete in a double-dual against the Cyclones. KU will then compete in the Big 12 Championship in Morgantown W.V., from February 23-26.
