The Sunshine State Conference is pleased to announce the 2017 women’s swimming individual awards. Emma Wahlstrom of Nova Southeastern University is named Swimmer of the Year, while Sharks’ skipper Ben Hewitt was voted Coach of the Year. Coaches selected Annie Lindstrom of Saint Leo University as Freshman of the Year.
SSC Swimmer, Freshman, and Coach of the Year awards were selected by vote of the league’s swimming coaches following the NCAA Division II National Championship. All-SSC Swimmers were selected earlier this season following the Swimming Championships (February 16-19 at the Orlando YMCA Aquatic Center).
2017 SSC Women’s Swimming All-Conference Teams
Wahlstrom is the second athlete from Nova Southeastern to be named Women’s Swimmer of the Year1. The senior became this year’s NCAA Champion in the 200 Free with a time of 1:46.81. She also placed second in the 500 Free, third in 100 Free, and 11th in the 100 Back at the national meet. In relay competition at the championship, Wahlstrom helped NSU to third place in the 800 Free, fourth in the 400 Medley, and seventh in the 400 Free.
In 2016-17, the Stockholm, Sweden native set individual conference records in the 200 Free (1:46.43), and 500 Free (4:46.87). In relay’s, Wahlstrom and the Sharks set the 400 Free Relay (3:23.89) and the 400 Medley Relay (3:42.59). She also set SSC Championship records in the 100 Back, 400 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay as well as top SSC times in the 100 Free, 100 Back, and 200 Back. Altogether, Wahlstrom has her name on seven SSC records and six SSC Championship records.
After a stellar season for the Lions, Lindstrom becomes the second Saint Leo swimmer to earn Freshman of the Year honors2. Individually, Lindstrom qualified for the NCAA Division II championship in the 50 Free, 100 Fly, and 100 Free during the 2016-17 season and finished Top-4 in all three at the SSC Championship. At nationals, she finished 16th in the 50 Free, 23rd in the 100 Free, and 27th in the 100 Fly. In relay’s, the Kristianstad, Sweden product was part of four Saint Leo school records and the Lions’ 200 Medley Relay that finished Top-8 at the national championship meet.
Hewitt is awarded his first and Nova Southeastern’s second3 SSC Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year honor in his debut season. He led the Sharks to their third SSC women’s championship this past February and a fourth place finish among 40 scoring teams at the national championship.
SSC Records / Top Times | Women’s Swimmers and Coaches of the Year
News courtesy of Sunshine State Conference.