Swimming & Diving Announces Team Award Winners

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Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2007

EAU CLAIRE - First year UW-Eau Claire swimming and diving coach Jerry Kollross announced the team award winners for the 2006-07 season at the annual team banquet this past Saturday.

Alissa Condra (Sr.-Rhinelander) was presented with the Blugold Award. Condra was a member of the second place conference medley relay team, scored points in all three of her individual conference events, was a tireless worker behind the scenes to make everything run smoothly for both coaches and swimmers.

Emily Cooper (Jr.-Germantown) was presented with the Coaches Award. Cooper helped coordinate all of the recruit weekends including mailings and sometimes hosting recruits. Cooper quietly goes about her business and gets results proven by scoring points in all of her individual events at the conference meet.

Emily Viau (Sr.-Apple Valley, MN/Eastview) was named the women's swimming MVP. Viau scored 63.5 points at the conference meet including a second place finish in the 1,600-mile freestyle, third in the 500 freestyle and fourth in the 200 freestyle.

Sarah Myers (Jr.-Eau Claire/North) was named the women's diving MVP. Myers scored 23 points at the conference meet and was named Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Diver of the Week on two different occasions. Myers placed fifth at the conference meet in the three-meter dive with 399 points and ninth in the one-meter dive with 346 points. She was also the diving captain this season.

Cale Schmidt-Jackson (Sr.-Duluth, MN/East) was named the men's swimming MVP. Schmidt-Jackson scored 56 points at the conference meet and is one of the team's most versatile swimmers. He advanced to the finals in each of his individual events, finishing fourth in the 100 butterfly, and was a member of two conference relays.

Bryan Dykstra (Jr.-Racine/Horlick) was named the men's diving MVP. Dykstra scored 37 points at the conference meet. He was the Blugolds' only conference champion this past season winning the one-meter dive with 480 points. He also placed second on the three-meter dive with 444 points. Dykstra was named WIAC Athlete of the Week one time during this past year.

Jess Bartz (Jr.-Mauston) earned the Most Improved Award. Not swimming competitively since the eighth grade, Bartz earned points at the conference meet in the 100 and 200 backstroke in addition to swimming in the 1600-meter relay.

Emily Diehl (Jr.-Prairie du Sac/Sauk Prairie) received the Most Inspirational and the Women's Hardest Worker Awards. Diehl scored 54 points at the conference meet advancing to the finals in all three individual events she competed in. Diehl also serves as a writer for the Alumni Swimming and Diving Newsletter. Diehl serves as an outstanding leader for the team both in and out of the pool.

Clark Draxler (So.-Eau Claire/Memorial) and Nick Peterson (Sr.-Lake Elmo, MN/North St. Paul) shared the men's Hardest Worker Award. Both are quiet leaders and excel both in the pool and in the classroom. Draxler placed eighth at the conference meet in the 1,600-meter freestyle.

Amy Stewart (Fr.-South Milwaukee) was named the women's Rookie of the Year. Stewart scored 29 points at the conference meet and was a member of the third place 800 freestyle relay team. Stewart advanced to the finals of the 200 butterfly and scored in all three individual events she competed in.

Matt Schultz (Fr.-Oakdale, MN/North) was named the men's Rookie of the Year. Schultz scored 50 points at the conference meet which was best among all Blugold freshmen. He qualified for the finals of the 200 butterfly and was a member of three conference relay teams. Schultz scored points in every event he competed in at the conference meet.