TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati swimming and diving team announced their 2021-22 end of year awards, celebrating the successes and accomplishments of their student-athletes. Back in person for the first times since the Spring of 2019, the men's and women's team got together in the Champions Club for their annual Swammies event on Monday to honor those who won the team awards and celebrate all the success the team had in the pool this season.
THE BEARCAT AWARD
This award is awarded to a positive role model to the team in all respects, demonstrating outstanding sportsmanship, character, and leadership. This person is always dedicated to the teams development over the season and goes above and beyond to reinforce our "ONE TEAM" motto.
Congratulations to Audrey Capannari and Thomas Matthew for winning the 2022 Swammies Bearcat Award!
BREAKTHROUGH SEASON
This award is typically given to a sophomore, junior or senior who has shown the most dramatic improvement over the duration of the season, while demonstrating leadership, team spirit, and embracing the "ONE TEAM" motto.
In her sophomore season Jessica Davis set a new personal-best when she finished in second at the AAC Championships with a time of 22.89 in the 50-yard freestyle. She also finished third in the 100-yard freestyle with a new personal-best time that ranks eighth in Bearcats' history (50.12).
Drew Hawthorne for winning the 2022 Swammies Breakthrough Season Award!
PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
This award is awarded to the team member who through hard work and dedication, achieved a performance throughout the season that was exceptional. This performance put them in an elite standing within our conference or national level.
Junior Katherine Connolly clocked a NCAA B-Standard time with a 1:58.94 in the 200-yard butterfly, good enough for third place on the podium and a new personal-record and third in school history at the 2022 AAC Championships.
The men's 400 Medley Relay team of Blake Hanna, Dom Polling, Michael Balcerak and Hunter Gubeno) earn the award after took down an AAC Championship record and beat a school record by two seconds in the 400-medley relay with a time of 3:08.56.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
This award is given to a first year team member who consistently demonstrated high level performances, a positive attitude, and enthusiastic approach. This individual also contributed the most number of points at the conference championship amongst all first years.
Annabelle Young
Freshman Will Claus scored a 323.10, set a new personal record and also placed second in school history in the men's platform dive at the 2022 AAC Championships.
MOST VALUABLE
This award is presented to the athlete who consistently performs at a high level, contributing to the overall success of the team in individual points. They also positively lead the team and are invested in the overall success of the program.
Camryn Streid earns the award for the women's team after clocking a new school and personal record in the 200-yard IM at the AAC Championships with a time of 2:00.02 to finish in second place. Streid also broke her own school record in the women's 400-yard IM by finishing the event with a time of 4:13.63.
Michael Balcerak earns the award for the men's team after being named the 2022 AAC Men's Swimmer of the Year for his outstanding 2021-22 junior season. He completed back-to-back AAC Championship victories in the 500-yard freestyle when he clocked in a new personal-best and NCAA B-Standard time, finishing with a time of 4:20.84. Balcerak also won the 200-yard freestyle event with a time of 1:35.51, which puts him second in school history behind his own record. Balcerak was also a part of the men's 400-yard medley relay team that broke not only the UC school record but the AAC record. He also broke another school record in the 400-yard freestyle relay when the team finished with a time of 2:55.08.
THE BEARCAT AWARD
This award is awarded to a positive role model to the team in all respects, demonstrating outstanding sportsmanship, character, and leadership. This person is always dedicated to the teams development over the season and goes above and beyond to reinforce our "ONE TEAM" motto.
Congratulations to Audrey Capannari and Thomas Matthew for winning the 2022 Swammies Bearcat Award!
BREAKTHROUGH SEASON
This award is typically given to a sophomore, junior or senior who has shown the most dramatic improvement over the duration of the season, while demonstrating leadership, team spirit, and embracing the "ONE TEAM" motto.
In her sophomore season Jessica Davis set a new personal-best when she finished in second at the AAC Championships with a time of 22.89 in the 50-yard freestyle. She also finished third in the 100-yard freestyle with a new personal-best time that ranks eighth in Bearcats' history (50.12).
Drew Hawthorne for winning the 2022 Swammies Breakthrough Season Award!
PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
This award is awarded to the team member who through hard work and dedication, achieved a performance throughout the season that was exceptional. This performance put them in an elite standing within our conference or national level.
Junior Katherine Connolly clocked a NCAA B-Standard time with a 1:58.94 in the 200-yard butterfly, good enough for third place on the podium and a new personal-record and third in school history at the 2022 AAC Championships.
The men's 400 Medley Relay team of Blake Hanna, Dom Polling, Michael Balcerak and Hunter Gubeno) earn the award after took down an AAC Championship record and beat a school record by two seconds in the 400-medley relay with a time of 3:08.56.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
This award is given to a first year team member who consistently demonstrated high level performances, a positive attitude, and enthusiastic approach. This individual also contributed the most number of points at the conference championship amongst all first years.
Annabelle Young
Freshman Will Claus scored a 323.10, set a new personal record and also placed second in school history in the men's platform dive at the 2022 AAC Championships.
MOST VALUABLE
This award is presented to the athlete who consistently performs at a high level, contributing to the overall success of the team in individual points. They also positively lead the team and are invested in the overall success of the program.
Camryn Streid earns the award for the women's team after clocking a new school and personal record in the 200-yard IM at the AAC Championships with a time of 2:00.02 to finish in second place. Streid also broke her own school record in the women's 400-yard IM by finishing the event with a time of 4:13.63.
Michael Balcerak earns the award for the men's team after being named the 2022 AAC Men's Swimmer of the Year for his outstanding 2021-22 junior season. He completed back-to-back AAC Championship victories in the 500-yard freestyle when he clocked in a new personal-best and NCAA B-Standard time, finishing with a time of 4:20.84. Balcerak also won the 200-yard freestyle event with a time of 1:35.51, which puts him second in school history behind his own record. Balcerak was also a part of the men's 400-yard medley relay team that broke not only the UC school record but the AAC record. He also broke another school record in the 400-yard freestyle relay when the team finished with a time of 2:55.08.