May 9, 2016
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State swimming and diving teams celebrated the 2015-16 season with their annual awards banquet at the Nittany Lion Inn held on April 16 and received notable recognition at the annual Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB) Academic Achievement Awards Banquet, known as the "The Nittanys," on April 25.
At "The Nittanys," the women's swimming team garnered the Varsity `S' Award for achieving the highest women's team GPA during the 2014-2015 academic year. Senior Kaitlin Jones was recognized and received the women's Nittany Lion Club True Grit Award for overcoming adversities while continuing to succeed in the classroom and in the pool during her career.
The team banquet on April 16th celebrated the season's accomplishments both in and out of the pool and recognized individual achievements of the student athletes. Additionally, honorable mention All-Americans this season included Alyson Ackman (200 Free, 4x400 Free, 4x800 Free), Niki Price (4x400 Free, 4x800 Free), Megan Wujciak (4x800 Free), Kaitlin Jones (4x400 Free, 4x800 Free), Haley Sinatro (4x400 Free), Melissa Rodriguez (4x400 Free) and Hector Garcia (1-meter).
The major awards that were presented this year were the Ellen Perry and Robert Krimmel Academic Achievement Award, the Nittany Lion Award, the 1855 Award, the L.D. MacNeilll and Elizabeth McCoy Most Outstanding Swimmer Award, the Robert E. Galbraith Award and the Jerome Weinstein Award.
The Ellen Perry & Robert Krimmel Academic Achievement Awards are presented each year to the student-athlete on each the women's and men's team that has attained the highest level of academic excellence throughout the season. The 2015-16 award winners were Makayla Mawn (Perry) and, for a second consecutive year, Andrew Scheuhler (Krimmel).
Jack Crow and Casey Francis were each presented with the Nittany Lion Award for their perseverance and effort as the most improved swimmer or diver during the year. Crow, a freshman, came through at NCAA Zone `A' Regionals, qualifying for the NCAA Championships in both the 1- and 3-meter dives. He finished second only to classmate Hector Garcia in the 3-meter at Zones. Francis, a junior, made her second career appearance at the NCAA Championships and broke Penn State's 1000 freestyle and mile record earlier in the season.
The 1855 Award is presented to the student-athletes whose improvement, transformation and personal growth mirrors that of Penn State since its founding. The recipients of this award were Kaitlin Jones and Matt Grillo. The seniors concluded their careers with exclamation points, as Jones qualified individually for the NCAA Championships for the first time, and Grillo emerged as the leading swimmer on the men's side posting several career best times and competing at the Canadian Olympic Trials.
Hector Garcia and Melissa Rodriguez were named the L.D. MacNeill and Elizabeth McCoy Award winners. The awards are one of a kind as they are voted on by the swimming and diving team and are given to the swimmers or divers who contribute the most to the team's success by consistently achieving outstanding performances throughout the year. Garcia was named the MacNeill recipient after leading a historic resurgence of the men's diving program, which sent three divers to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 1998. He competed in all three dives and became the first Nittany Lion to earn honorable mention All-America honors since 2006 with a 15th-place finish in the 1-meter.
Garcia was also awarded the Robert E. Galbraith Award for his outstanding contributions through performance, loyalty, spirit and leadership by a as Penn State diver.
The Jerome Weinstein Award is presented to the team members who are not only the hardest workers, but also those that are sure to give 100 percent to their teammates emotionally and physically through the good and tough times. Alyson Ackman and Matt Stasiunas claimed the honor this season. Ackman, a team captain, led the women at the NCAA Championships, leading a pair of relay efforts to honorable mention All-America placing, while placing 10th individually in the 200 free. Stasiunas led the men's team in the distance events, while also leading his fellow teammates.
Captain awards were also presented to Jon Seiferth and Ackman. Seiferth helped guide a young men's team, while Ackman helped the women's side to its third-straight top-25 finish at NCAAs.
The 2016 seniors include Matt Grillo, Harrison Grimm, Logan Knauss, Tim Maurer and Jon Seiferth on the men's side, and Alyson Ackman, Jenna Bickel, Casey Fazio, Kaitlin Jones, Kelly Kusevich, Allie Pennetti, Melissa Rodriguez, Katie Rowe, Sierra Scoggin, Haley Sinatro and Chelsea VanderWeele.