Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh University
Swimming Banquet
Mountain Hawks celebrate season at banquet
5/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving, Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving
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Seniors Grant Flothmeier and Laura Gray earned the program’s highest honor as they were 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, Flothmeier holds a 3.38 grade point average majoring in civil engineering while in the pool he was one of the top scoring swimmers in the Patriot League. Gray holds a 3.68 GPA in Psychology and has consistently been the Mountain Hawks top female diver.
Flothmeier also was named the team’s Athlete of the Year, which is presented to the team member who makes the most outstanding athletic contribution to the accomplishments of the team. A three-time All-Patriot League selection, Flothmeier won Lehigh’s lone individual title at the Patriot League championships, winning the 100 yard breaststroke. He also placed third in the 200 breaststroke and set new school records in both events.
Junior Betsy Balaguer received the female Athlete of the Year award. Balaguer was Lehigh’s top female scorer at the Patriot League Championships, putting 40 points on the board for the Brown and White. She reached the finals in three freestyle events at the championship meet, with her best finish being fourth in the 500 yard freestyle. In earning that fourth place finish, Balaguer also broke a long-standing school record.
The Coaches Award is presented to the individuals who made significant contributions to the well being of the team in terms of attitude, improvement, or special leadership. This year’s winners were seniors Linda Hendrixson and Jason O’Koren. Hendrixson earned All-League honors for the fourth straight year. She selflessly swam different events for the benefit of the team. O’Koren served as a team leader and co-captain, while competing in breaststroke events for the Mountain Hawks.
Gray added a second award on the evening as she was named the program’s female Diver of the Year. A team co-captain, Gray earned Diver of the Week honors after sweeping both events in a win over rival
Sophomore Clark Cohen was named the male Diver of the Year. Cohen was twice the male Diver of the Week in the Patriot League during the regular season and finished in the top eight in both the one and three meter competitions at the Patriot League Championships.
The program’s Freshmen of the Year awards went to Nikki Perella and Dan Johnson. Perella had a strong first season as a diver for Lehigh and really came on towards the end of the season, taking sixth in the one meter dive at the Patriot League Championships. Johnson won the 200 freestyle event in four meets this season and had a pair of individual top ten finishes at the Patriot League Championships.
Sophomore Kelsey Hunter and junior Tom Gilbert earned the programs Most Improved awards. Gilbert took second in the 200 yard backstroke, setting a school record in the process, and took third in the 100 yard backstroke at the Patriot League Championships.
