NEW HAVEN, Conn. – One of the most prolific swimmers in the history of the Yale women’s swimming & diving program has earned the school’s most prestigious athletic award given to a senior female.
Eva Fabian is the recipient of the 2016 Nellie Pratt Elliot Award, which was presented at today’s Class Day exercises.
The Nellie Pratt Elliot Award goes to the senior woman whose excellence in the field of athletics and in her life at Yale best represents the ideals of sportsmanship and Yale tradition. It is awarded in memory of Nellie Pratt Elliot, who was an assistant director of undergraduate admissions at Yale for 46 years.
Fabian, who owns the school’s 500 (4:43.97) and 1650 freestyle (16:09.81) records and was three-time first-team All-Ivy League, can make the claim of being the most accomplished Yale women’s swimmer ever based on her performances in the pool as well as in open water.
Last year, she won the 10k event at Pan American Games and finished fifth in the 10k and fourth in the 5k at USA Open Water National Championships. Fabian took third in the 10k at the 2014 USA Open Water Nationals after earning second at the FINA 10k Marathon Swimming World Cup in Santos, Brazil. She also was second at the FINA 10k in Cozumel, Mexico.
Before the Keene, N.H., native came to New Haven, she had already established herself as one of the best open water swimmers in America. She won the 2011 USA 10k and was the 2010 5k world champion.
Fabian also earned a silver medal in the 10k at the 2010 Mutual of Omaha Pan Pacific Championships while placing 10th in the 25k at the 2009 FINA Worlds. She was the champion of the 2009 USA 5k while placing second in the 10.
The Yale endurance event star was highly decorated in Ancient Eight competitions. She captured the 2016 Ivy League Career High Point Award at the championship meet, was first-team All-Ivy in 2013, 2014 and 2015 and took 2014 Ivy Swimmer of the Meet honors.
Fabian, a two-time College Swimming Coaches Association of America Academic All-America pick, also won numerous Yale Swimming Association honors, including the Eleanor “Bobby” Dawson Award, the MacLeish Memorial Swimming Trophy and the Harry Burke Award.
Swimming news courtesy of Yale Swimming & Diving.