Jayhawks Close Season With Awards Ceremony
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas swimming and diving team concluded the 2013-14 season with its annual awards ceremony Sunday afternoon in the Naismith Room inside of Allen Fieldhouse.
Seven seniors were honored and five team awards were handed out over the course of the afternoon. The seniors included Sofiia Filatova, Alyssa Golden, Malia Johnson, Alison Lusk, Alison Moffitt, Morgan Sharp and Sara Snow.
“Our seniors, whether they were captains or not, helped tremendously with changing the team culture,” head coach Clark Campbell said. “I always say that we are only as good as our senior class members and we could not have done it without them. (The senior class) will be leaving unforgettable. They accomplished so much in the pool and classroom, but definitely in the leadership aspect of things, as well. This year was historical.”
Sophomore Chelsie Miller was awarded the Tammy Thomas MVP Award, which goes to the most valuable member of the team for the 2013-14 season and was voted on by the team. Miller showed strong performances both inside the pool and the classroom. She broke multiple school records, including – the 1650-yard freestyle (16:09.00), 1,000-yard freestyle (9:49.14), 200-yard butterfly (1:58.58), 200-yard individual medley (1:58.98), 400-yard individual medley (4:07.97) and the 800-yard freestyle relay (7:11.99). Miller also became the first Jayhawk to become a Big 12 Champion, earned All-America status at the NCAA Championships among multiple other accomplishments. She also was named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team.
Golden took home the Academic Award, which goes to the senior with the highest grade point average. Golden, a community health major, holds a 3.6 GPA and earned a spot on the Academic All-Big 12 First Team. She will be graduating next month and will begin the accelerated nursing program at the University of Missouri following graduation. The senior was also awarded the new IronHawk Award, which goes to the team member who shows outstanding excellence in the weight room.
Freshman Yulduz “Yulya” Kuchkarova was awarded the team’s Newcomer of the Year Award. At the 2014 Big 12 Championships she placed second and third in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke, respectively. She holds the top 2013-14 team time in both backstroke events. Her times include 54.21 in the 100-yard backstroke and 1:57.14 in the 200-yard backstroke.
Sophomore Haley Molden was selected by her teammates for the Karen Dionne Most Inspirational Award. Molden will serve alongside sophomore Bryce Hinde and junior Caroline Patterson as the 2014-15 season team captains.
The Jayhawks will now turn their focus to the 2014-15 season, looking to build on a 6-4 (2-0 Big 12) dual meet record from 2013-14.
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