Lehigh University Athletics
Mountain Hawks reflect on season at banquet
3/31/2009 11:15:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh swimming and diving program held its year end banquet on Sunday, March 29 at University Center. The afternoon’s festivities included lunch, remarks from head coach Rob Herb and student athletes and the presentation of both team and departmental awards as the Mountain Hawks looked back on a season that saw the men finish fourth in the Patriot League, while the women swam to a sixth place finish.
Senior Dan Johnson and junior Erin Tormey earned the program’s highest honor as they were the recipients of the Scholar-Athlete award. Given to the student-athlete who in the eyes of his/her teammates exemplifies the ideal of the scholar-athlete, Johnson holds a 3.51 grade-point average as a mechanical engineering major and has been named the Patriot League’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men’s swimming and diving in each of the last two years. Tormey, the captain of Lehigh’s diving team, boasts a 3.58 GPA in civil engineering.
Johnson was one of two multi-award winners on the evening as he added the Athlete of the Year award, is presented to the team member who makes the most outstanding athletic contribution to the accomplishments of the team. The Minnesota native earned first team All-League accolades for the third straight year as he broke school records in the 50, 100 and 200 yard freestyle events at the Patriot League Championships. The female Athlete of the Year award was given to senior Melanie Rolish, who earned All-League honors for the third consecutive year. Her fifth place finish in the 200 yard breaststroke was the top Lehigh female finish at the championships.
The Coaches Award, presented to the individuals who made significant contributions to the well being of the team in terms of attitude, improvement, or special leadership went to juniors Kevin McGrath and Julie Sicherman. McGrath earned second team all-league honors at the league championship meet and set school records in the 200 yard breaststroke and the 400 IM.
In addition to her Scholar-Athlete Award, Tormey was named the Female Diver of the Year after placing seventh in the one meter and eighth in the three meter diving events at the league championships. Freshman Ryan Helfrich was named the Male Diver of the Year, on the strength of his ninth place finish on the one meter board at the championship meet.
A pair of freshmen, Alena Pollitt and Chris Toth were recognized as the Most Improved Swimmers. Pollitt competed in a number of events for the Brown and White, and was a member of the school-record setting 200 freestyle relay team. Toth was one of the Mountain Hawks top distance swimmers all season long, and took fifth in the 1650 yard freestyle, and 11th in the 500 free at the league championships.
Priscilla Barletta and Angelo DiGiacinto were recognized as Freshmen of the Year after turning in school record performances at the league championship meet. Barletta turned in a 1:52.81 performance in her leg of Lehigh’s 800 yard free relay to establish a new school mark in the 200 freestyle and was also a part of the record-setting 400 yard free relay team, while DiGiacinto smashed the school record in the 100 yard butterfly with his time of 49.02 seconds.
