The following is a press release courtesy of the Trinity University:
San Antonio – Seniors Stephen Culberson and Lydia Jones, along with first-year student-athlete Danielle Freund, have received high honors from the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
Culberson and Jones were elected the respective SCAC Male and Female Swimmers of the Year, while Freund was named the conference Female Diver of the Year. The awards were based on exclusive voting by SCAC head coaches.
It marked the second consecutive year that Culberson received the men’s top accolade. Culberson won the 2014 NCAA Division III national championship in the 100-yard freestyle. He also shattered NCAA and SCAC records along the way. Culberson added to his All-America honors by placing second in this year’s NCAA Championships in the 100 freestyle (44.18 seconds), while tying his SCAC record at the national meet held at Shenandoah, Texas. He also placed third in the 50 freestyle (20.02) and established a conference record. Additionally, Culberson and his teammates picked up Honorable Mention All-America recognition by winning the consolation title (ninth place) of the 200 freestyle relay, and finishing 14th in the 400 freestyle relay.
A prelude to nationals were the SCAC Championships, held at Rockwall, Texas. Culberson was selected as SCAC Male Swimmer of the Meet for the second straight time. He spearheaded the Tigers to three SCAC relay titles, including conference open and meet records in the 200 freestyle and 200 medley relays. Trinity’s men went on to win their fourth straight conference team championship, and finished 17th at nationals.
Individually, Culberson won the 50 freestyle (20.21), 100 freestyle (44.59), and the 100 butterfly (49.39). In his career, Culberson captured eight individual titles. He also broke Trinity records in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly, and tied his Tiger record in the 100 freestyle.
Culberson became the fourth swimmer in the modern SCAC era (1999 to present) to win back-to-back Swimmer of the Year accolades. The first Trinity swimmer to attain the feat was three-time winner Ryan Van Der Kar from 2002-2004.
Jones became the SCAC Swimmer of the Meet at Rockwall, as the Tigers brought home their 12th consecutive team trophy. She won three individual events in the 50 freestyle (23.45), 100 freestyle (51.14), and the 200 freestyle (1:52.17). Jones broke Trinity records in all three events. The 100 and 200 freestyle performances were also SCAC meet and open records.
The versatile Jones was a key member of three relay championship teams, including a SCAC meet and open record in the 200 freestyle (1:35.03). Jones earned Honorable Mention All-America kudos at the NCAAs, after finishing the consolation finals of the 50 and 100 freestyle events.
Jones became the third consecutive Trinity swimmer to be named SCAC Female Swimmer of the Year.
Freund’s selection marked the 10th consecutive time a Trinity student-athlete was named SCAC Female Diver of the Year. She placed fifth on the 3-meter board at the NCAA Championships, for All-America recognition. Freund finished 10th in the 1-meter event and gained Honorable Mention All-America status.The Tiger women placed 25th at the NCAA meet as a team.
Despite a mid-season injury that prevented Freund from competing at the SCAC Championships, she battled back to win the 3-meter board at the NCAA Regional Meet, hosted by Trinity at San Antonio’s Josh Davis Natatorium.
Trinity’s swim coaches are John Ryan and Michael Schuber, and the diving coach is Stan Randall. They were earlier named the SCAC Co-Women’s Staff of the Year, along with Colorado College.