Courtesy: Colonial Athletic Association
RICHMOND, Va. (April 11, 2019) – James Madison junior Bonnie Zhang was named the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Swimmer of the Year, while teammates Faith Anderson and Morgan Whaley earned the honor of CAA Diver of the Year and CAA Rookie Swimmer of the Year, respectively.
Northeastern’s Elly Morrison was named CAA Rookie Diver of the Year. James Madison coaches Dane Pedersen and John Wolsh were tabbed CAA Swimming Coach of the Year and CAA Diving Coach of the Year, respectively.
Swimmer of the Year: Bonnie Zhang, James Madison
After a remarkable season that saw her make her first NCAA Championships appearance, Zhang became just the second swimmer in James Madison history to be named CAA Swimmer of the Year and first since Cindy Walker in 1993. She qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 50-, 100-, and 200-yard freestyle after posting ‘B’ cuts in each event. Zhang placed 42nd in the 50-yard freestyle, 29th in the 200-yard freestyle, and 30th in the 100-yard freestyle.
Zhang set CAA all-time records in both the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle. At the UNC Last Chance Meet, she posted a time of 48.38 in the 100-yard freestyle to set a new record. She posted a time of 1:45.21 in the 200-yard freestyle to win the event at the 2019 CAA Championships. She won the 100- and 200-yard freestyle at the CAA Championships and helped the 200-, 400-, and 800-yard freestyle relays teams to victory as well. She finished the championship as the highest individual points scorer.
Diver of the Year: Faith Anderson, James Madison
Anderson becomes the ninth consecutive James Madison diver to earn the honor of CAA Diver of the Year. Anderson was the only diver to reach the finals at the NCAA Zone A Championships, finishing 10th on the one-meter and 11th on the three-meter. She earned the gold medal in the three-meter dive at the CAA Championships with a score of 310.75. She placed fifth in the 1-meter with a score of 257.25.
Rookie Swimmer of the Year: Morgan Whaley, James Madison
Whaley is the first James Madison swimmer since Sin Hye Won in 2012 to earn CAA Rookie Swimmer of the Year honors and just the third all-time. She was the highest individual scoring freshman with 42 points and the CAA Champion in the 100-yard butterfly. She also placed third in the 200-yard fly and 11th place in the 200-yard back.
Rookie Diver of the Year: Elly Morrison, Northeastern
Morrison is Northeastern’s first CAA Rookie Diver of the Year since Jacquelyn Gover in 2015. The freshman placed ninth in the three-meter dive at the CAA Championships with a score of 249.95 and placed 12th in the one-meter dive with a score of 240.90. She scored 14 points at the championship, the most of all freshman divers.
Swimming Coach of the Year: Dane Pedersen, James Madison
Pedersen was named CAA Swimming Coach of the Year for the third consecutive year after leading his team to its second straight CAA Championship. The Dukes won nine total events at the 2019 CAA Championships, including three relays. Pedersen is the first coach to win the award in three consecutive years since Towson’s Pat Mead from 2013 to 2015.
Diving Coach of the Year: John Wolsh, James Madison
Wolsh’s divers dominated at the 2019 CAA Championships, as four advanced to the eight-woman final in both the one- and three-meter dives. In the one-meter dive, James Madison swept the event as Hope Byrum, Emily Gross, and Samantha Ullman took home medals. He earned CAA Diving Coach of the Year honors for the third straight year.
The following individuals earned All-CAA accolades based on their performances at the 2019 CAA Swimming & Diving Championship.
50 Freestyle: Megan Clark, Northeastern (22.43); Bonnie Zhang, James Madison (22.61); Evan Arsenault (22.79)
100 Freestyle: Bonnie Zhang, James Madison (48.50); Megan Clark, Northeastern (48.55); Evan Arsenault, UNCW (49.88)
200 Freestyle: Bonnie Zhang, James Madison (1:45.21); Megan Bull, William & Mary (1:48.15); Megan Clark, Northeastern (1:48.47)
500 Freestyle: Megan Bull, William & Mary (4:44.62), Julianna Jones, James Madison (4:45.83), Kristie Darmody, James Madison (4:52.22)
1650 Freestyle: Julianna Jones, James Madison (16:18.65), Megan Bull, William & Mary (16:45.55); Madison Oster, James Madison (16:52.38)
100 Butterfly: Morgan Whaley, James Madison (54.21); Tessa Hayman, Delaware (54.65); Mina Feyrer, Delaware (54.94)
200 Butterfly: Maria Oceguera, William & Mary (2:00.18); Megan Cowan, Towson (2:01.48); Morgan Whaley, James Madison (2:01.89)
100 Breaststroke: Jacalyn Schoening, Towson (1:01.58); Amanda Rosa, Towson (1:01.81); Gabrielle Rudy, Drexel (1:02.03)
200 Breaststroke: Amanda Rosa, Towson (2:15.04); Megan Sicinski, Drexel (2:16.87); Meagan Johnson, UNCW (2:16.91)
100 Backstroke: Alexa Kutch, Drexel (54.11); Haley Sutton, Towson (54.60); Paige Assaid, James Madison (54.90)
200 Backstroke: Alexa Kutch, Drexel (1:55.43); Tara Tiernan, William & Mary (1:59.53); Bailey Smith, Northeastern (1:59.87)
200 Individual Medley: Megan Cowan, Towson (2:01.06); Julia Bland, William & Mary (2:02.61); Megan Marsh, James Madison (2:02.81)
400 Individual Medley: Kyra Schemmel, UNCW (4:19.78); Julia Bland, William & Mary (4:20.43); April Forsthoffer, Drexel (4:20.47)
200 Freestyle Relay:
James Madison (Jillian Breeger, Sydney Kirsch, Bonnie Zhang, Mackenzie Gring) | 1:31.20
UNCW (Shannon Howell, Faith Pilcher, Meghan Lahr, Evan Arsenault) | 1:32.23
William & Mary (Annie Miller, Missy Cundiff, Anna Kenna, Katie Sell) | 1:32.38
400 Freestyle Relay:
James Madison (Jillian Breeger, Sydney Kirsch, Bonnie Zhang, Mackenzie Gring) | 3:20.78
William & Mary (Missy Cundiff, Megan Bull, Maria Oceguera, Annie Miller) | 3:23.40
Northeastern (Megan Clark, Matilda Weller, Sidney Smith, Carly Schnabel) | 2:23.64
800 Freestyle Relay:
James Madison (Jillian Breeger, Jillian Santiago, Kristie Darmody, Bonnie Zhang) | 7:14.78
William & Mary (Megan Bull, Tara Tiernan, Morgan Smith, Maria Oceguera) | 7:15.75
Towson (Sarah Locke, Megan Cowan, Suzannah Mills, Annemarie Schnoor) | 7:20.20
200 Medley Relay:
Drexel (Alexa Kutch, Gabrielle Rudy, Hollie Hopf, Alicia Diaz) | 1:40.39
William & Mary (Anna Kenna, Ellie Henry, Katie Sell, Annie Miller) | 1:40.50
Towson (Haley Sutton, Jacalyn Schoening, Maddi Mangum, Ryan Ulrich) | 1:41.13
400 Medley Relay:
Drexel (Alexa Kutch, Gabrielle Rudy, Charlotte Myers, Alicia Diaz) | 3:41.22
Towson (Haley Sutton, Jacalyn Schoening, Maddi Mangum, Annemarie Schnoor) | 3:41.70
William & Mary (Anna Kenna, Lauren Freeman, Maria Oceguera, Megan Bull | 3:43.74
One-Meter Dive: Hope Byrum, JMU (281.35); Emily Gross, JMU (268.30); Samantha Ullman, JMU (262.30)
Three-Meter Dive: Faith Anderson, JMU (310.75); Hope Byrum, JMU (308.85); Kelsey Jehl, Towson (303.05)