🏊‍♀️ Kate Steward Named Big 12 Swimmer of the Week

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas Swimming and Diving junior Kate Steward was named the Big 12 Women’s Swimmer of the Week, the Big 12 Conference announced on Tuesday, after breaking a pair of pool records at the KU Virtual Cup on November 20.

The Big 12 Swimmer of the Week honor marks Steward’s first weekly award of her career, while she is a two-time Big 12 Champion in the 200-yard breaststroke (2019, 2020) and Big 12 Champion in the 100-yard breaststroke (2020).

Steward shares the Women’s Swimmer of the Week award with TCU’s Megan Morris, while she is the first Jayhawk to earn Big 12 in-season honors since Jiayu Chen, who won Big 12 Diver of the Month on January 22, 2020.

Steward led a blazing 2:12.28 in the women’s 200-yard breaststroke, which broke the Robinson Natatorium of 2:14.71 set in 2008 by Texas A&M’s Alia Atkinson. Steward also owns the school record of 2:10.68 in the event, set earlier this year at the 2020 Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships.

In addition to her pool record in the 200-yard breaststroke, Steward was a part of a second pool record in the 200-yard medley relay, when the team of Manon Manning, Steward, Kaitlyn Witt and Dewi Blose swam to a 1:40.69 performance. The finish broke the record of 1:41.25 set earlier this year by Manning, Steward, Witt and Keyla Brown.

The Jayhawks will be back in action on December 16-18, when they host the KU Virtual Invite inside Robinson Natatorium in Lawrence, Kansas.