The Pac-12 Conference has announced Ryan Murphy as its 2016 men’s Swimmer of the Year after winning two NCAA titles, breaking two American, NCAA, and U.S. Open Records (including the 100 backstroke twice), and winning his third-consecutive NCAA titles in the 100 and 200 yard backstrokes.
This is the second-straight year in which Murphy has won the honor as the Pac-12s top swimmer, and also the second-straight year in which he’s been named the CSCAA Swimmer of the Year – in 2016, he tied with Joseph Schooling and Caeleb Dressel for the honor.
One day after setting the American, NCAA and U.S. Open record with a 43.51-second backstroke leg in the 400 medley relay at the NCAA Championships, Murphy broke his own record in the same event with a time of 43.49. Murphy then broke his own American, NCAA and U.S. Open records in the the 200-yard backstroke as well with a winning time of 1:35.73. The 2014 Pac-12 Men’s Swimming Freshman/Newcomer of the Year helped Cal extend its streak of having finished first or second at the NCAA meet every year since 2010.
Other men’s athlete awards given out by the conference:
- Men’s Diver of the Year – Rafael Quintero, Arizona – placed 2nd on the platform and 1-meter at the NCAA Championships
- Men’s Swimming Freshman/Newcomer of the Year – Andrew Seliskar, Cal – Seliskar won Pac-12 Championships in the 200 fly, 200 IM, 400 IM, and as part of the 400 free relay, 800 free relay, and 400 medley relay, and was named the 2016 Pac-12 Championships Swimmer of the Meet. He also racked up 42 individual points at the NCAA Championships, including a 3rd-place finish in the 200 fly (behind the two fastest swims in history from Joseph Schooling and Jack Conger of Texas).
- Men’s Diving Freshman/Newcomer of the Year – Connor Cain, Utah – first-ever Ute to win this honor, he placed 11th on both the 1-meter and 3-meter at the Pac-12 Championships.