April 27, 2006
TEMPE, Ariz. (www.thesundevils.com) -- The Arizona State University Swimming and Diving Awards Banquet held Saturday, April 22, at the Karsten Golf Course Restaurant honored several swimmers and divers on their accomplishments for the 2005-06 season. Thirteen individual awards were handed out along with all 17 seniors getting a chance to speak about their experiences while swimming for ASU. Also, five student-athletes were recognized for earning All-America honors.
CJ Nuess (Medical Lake, Wash.) and Caitlin Andrew (San Antonio, Texas) each took home two awards for their accomplishments this season. Andrew earned All-America accolades after finishing second in the 100-yard butterfly at the NCAAs. They both earned the Outstanding Swimmer Award and the Hammer Award. The Hammer Award is given to the swimmer who shows exceptional character by racing and giving their all for the team in any situation - individually, in relays and the intangibles.
After setting two school records and earning All-America honors in the 400-yard IM and the 1,650-yard freestyle, Gal Nevo (Kibbutz Hamadia, Israel) was given the Rookie of the Year Award for the men's team at the banquet. The women's Rookie of the Year Award was presented to Amy Konowalik (Derby, England).
The Most Improved Swimmer Award went to Lucas Azevedo (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) on the men's team and Lindsey Brown (Saginaw, Mich.) on the women's team. In 2006, Azevedo was an honorable mention All-American in the 1,650-yard freestyle. Frankie Judy (Tucson, Ariz.) earned the Mona Plummer Award. The recipient of the award demonstrates the most inspiration on the team and is the most outstanding leader in the pool and in the classroom.
Brant Bingham (Mesa, Ariz.) and Erin Hobbs (Calgary, Alberta) were awarded the Lee Brennan Memorial Most Improved Diver Award for the men's and women's teams respectively. Earning the W. O'Connel Most Valuable Diver Award for the men's team was Joona Puhakka (Helsinki, Finland) and Cassidy Farwell (Glendale, Calif.) for the women's team. Puhakka was the runner-up at NCAAs in the one-meter and three-meter springboards and Pacific-10 Conference champion in both of the events.
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