Courtesy: American Athletic Conference
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving honors for the week ending Nov. 18.
Male Swimmer of the Week
Gustavo Santos * Jr. * ECU
Santos posted an NCAA “B” qualifying in the 100 butterfly with a first-place time of 46.16 at the Georgia Tech Invitational. His 100 butterfly time ranks No. 6 in the nation and leads the conference, as he was up against five of the nation’s top-20 teams, including No. 4 Florida, No. 12 Alabama, No. 16 Virginia Tech, No. 19 Florida State and No. 20 Georgia Tech. He also helped ECU set the school record in the 200 freestyle relay (1:19.76), swimming the third leg in 19.60.
Female Swimmer of the Week
Andrea Podmanikova * So. * SMU
Podmanikova picks up her second weekly honor of the year after recording three NCAA B-Cut marks in each of her individual events at the Hawkeye Invitational. She swam the fastest 200 IM in The American with a career-best time of 1:58.57, finishing second place in the race. She also had runner-up finishes in the 100 (1:00.01) and 200 (2:11.68) breaststrokes. Podmanikova leads the league in each of these events and also helped the Mustangs earn season-best marks in four relay races.
Male Diver of the Week
Tai Sims * So. * Cincinnati
Sims helped the Bearcats to a 158.5-141.5 win at Miami (Ohio) in dual meet action. He had a score of 252.60 in the one-meter dive and 268.65 in the three-meter dive for a pair of top-five finishes.
Female Diver of the Week
Katie Deininger * Fr. * Houston
Deininger earns her second conference weekly award after meeting the NCAA Zone Diving qualifications in each of her three dives over the weekend, as Houston won its third-straight Phill Hansel Invitational. She won the one-meter (293.75) and platform dives (246.85), and placed second in the three-meter dive (297.65). Deininger’s score in the platform dive ranks No. 1 in The American, as she led the field by 21.65 points in the one-meter dive.