Courtesy: Notre Dame Athletics
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The 2019-20 Notre Dame Swim and Dive Awards Ceremony took place April 16 for the men and April 17 for the women on a virtual platform. Nineteen student athletes took home honors, headlined by the Monogram Club Most Valuable Performers on each team: Austin Flaute and Kelly Straub for the divers, and Zach Yeadon and Abbie Dolan for the swimmers.
All four were named ACC Performers of the Week over the course of the season. Yeadon won two ACC Championships (500 & 1650 Free), while the other three student-athletes all notched multiple finals performances at the conference championships. Each a CSCAA All-American, Yeadon and Dolan officially qualified for the NCAA Championships, while Flaute and Straub were on track before the Zone C Diving Championships were halted mid-competition due to COVID-19.
The awards came on the same day as the Irish placed 19 swimmers on the All-ACC Academic squad, the fourth-highest total in the conference. As a team, the Irish qualified 12 swimmers for NCAAs, and boasted 20 CSCAA All-Americans in total. Freshman Jack Hoagland was named ACC Men’s Freshman of the Year, and the Notre Dame women’s diving squad turned in the highest diving point total in the conference at the ACC Championships.
In both awards ceremonies, longtime dive coach Caiming Xie was honored with the Tim Welsh Award, recognizing a friend of the program who has contributed to the betterment of student-athletes. Caiming announced his retirement last month after 25 years at Notre Dame.
A full list of award winners and descriptions is included below.
Tim Welsh Award – Caiming Xie
- The longtime head dive coach, who announced his retirement in March, is honored with the Tim Welsh Award, which is awarded to a friend of the program who has made a significant contribution to the success of our student athletes.
MEN
Patrick Reilly McManus Award – Sadler McKeen
- Presented to the male athlete who performs well in and out of the pool in pressure situations and best exemplifies the term ‘teammate.’
Blanchard Award – Jack Montesi (Captain)
- Presented to the male athlete whose performance, leadership and lifestyle embody the personal qualities of former Notre Dame swimmer and team captain Charles Blanchard.
Beeler-Hipp Award – Cason Wilburn
- Selected by the seniors, awarded to the freshman man who best exemplifies the vitality, competitiveness and love for Notre Dame shown by late Notre Dame teammates Meghan Beeler and Colleen Hipp, victims of the 1992 bus accident.
Knute Rockne Scholar Athlete Award – Nick Milikich
- Awarded by the Notre Dame Club of St. Joseph Valley, presented to the male athlete who has done outstanding work as a student and as an athlete. This season, Milikich placed in the Top 25 in each of his events at the ACC Championships. The senior Biochemistry major boasts a 3.937 cumulative GPA over his four years at the university, and has been named to the Dean’s List for six of his seven possible semesters.
Swiss Army Knife Award – Aaron Schultz (Captain)
- Selected by the coaches, and awarded to the male athlete who can do it all for the team…any event…any distance.
Golden Dumbbell/Weight Room Warrior Award (Swim) – JP Becker
- Presented to the male swimming athlete who shows unmatched effort, continuous improvement and enthusiasm in the weight room for the betterment of himself and the team.
Golden Dumbbell/Weight Room Warrior Award (Dive) – David Petrison
- Presented to the male diving athlete who shows unmatched effort, continuous improvement and enthusiasm in the weight room for the betterment of himself and the team.
Rookie of the Year Award – Jack Hoagland
- Selected by the coaches and awarded to the freshman man who had a significant impact on the team this season. Hoagland reached the podium in all three events at the ACC Championships and was named 2020 ACC Men’s Freshman of the Year.
Most Improved Award – Josh Bottelberghe
- Selected by the coaches and awarded to a male athlete who has shown most improvement throughout the course of the 2019-20 season.
Monogram Club Diving MVP Award – Austin Flaute
- Selected by the coaches, awarded by the Monogram Club to a male athlete judged to be invaluable throughout the 2019-20 season.
Monogram Club Swimming MVP Award – Zach Yeadon
- Selected by the coaches, awarded by the Monogram Club, to a male athlete judged to be invaluable throughout the 2019-20 season.
WOMEN
Beeler-Hipp Award – Sydney Winters
- Selected by the seniors, awarded to the freshman woman who best exemplifies the vitality, competitiveness and love for Notre Dame shown by late Notre Dame teammates Meghan Beeler and Colleen Hipp, victims of the 1992 bus accident.
Knute Rockne Scholar Athlete Award – Erin Isola
- Awarded by the Notre Dame Club of St. Joseph Valley, presented to the female athlete who has done an outstanding job as a student and as an athlete. Isola was named ACC Diver of the Week on Jan. 28, and competed in the 1-meter finals at the ACC Championships. The senior psychology major owns a 3.969 GPA over the course of her college career and has been named to the Dean’s List in every possible semester (seven total).
Swiss Army Knife Award – Coleen Gillilan
- Selected by the coaches, and awarded to the female athlete who can do it all for the team…any event…any distance.
Golden Dumbbell/Weight Room Warrior Award (Swim) – Claire DeSelm
- Presented to the female swimming athlete who shows unmatched effort, continuous improvement and enthusiasm in the weight room for the betterment of herself and the team.
Golden Dumbbell/Weight Room Warrior Award (Dive) – Sam Gillis
- Presented to the female diving athlete who shows unmatched effort, continuous improvement and enthusiasm in the weight room for the betterment of herself and the team.
Rookie of the Year Award – Coleen Gillilan
- Selected by the coaches and awarded to the freshman woman who had a significant impact on the team this season. Gillilan set multiple records (both program and pool) and earned a bronze medal at the 2020 ACC Championships in the 200 Fly.
Most Improved Award – Luciana Thomas
- Selected by the coaches and awarded to a female athlete who has shown the most improvement throughout the course of the 2019-20 season.
Monogram Club Diving MVP Award – Kelly Straub
- Selected by the coaches, awarded by the Monogram Club to a female athlete judged to be invaluable throughout the 2019-20 season.
Monogram Club Swimming MVP Award – Abbie Dolan
- Selected by the coaches, awarded by the Monogram Club, to a female athlete judged to be invaluable throughout the 2019-20 season.