Feb. 13, 2003
COLUMBIA, Mo. -
The Big 12 Conference announced that senior Jamie Sweeney (Eureka, Mo./Eureka)was selected as the Big 12 Male Diver of the Month for January. The selections were made by a vote of the league's head swimming and diving coaches.
Sweeney's selection was based on his performance in dual meets against Drury on January 24 and against Big Ten opponent Iowa on January 31. The Tigers defeated Drury, 140-95 with the help of Sweeney and his record breaking performance. On the 3-meter board Sweeney finished second behind teammate Evan Watters with a NCAA Zone qualifying score of 315.60. But Sweeney wanted to make a statement in his last home meet in the University Natatorium. He got his chance on the 1-meter board. Sweeney scored a career best 335.25 to win the 1-meter board. The score set a new school record and pool record, breaking the previous record of 324.98 set in 2001 by Sweeney. The score also was a NCAA Zone qualifying score.
Sweeney saved his best performance for his last dual against Iowa. Competing against one of the top divers in the country in Iowa's Timo Klami, Sweeney finished fourth in the 1-meter with a NCAA Zone qualifying score of 293.33. But it was his performance in the 3-meter that impressed. Sweeney finished first in the 3-meter with a score of 368.25, crushing the old school record. The score set a new personal best for Sweeney and yet again qualified him for the NCAA Zones.
Sweeney, a four time NCAA Zone qualifier, will compete at the Big 12 Championships on February 19-22 in Austin, Texas before competing at the NCAA Zone Diving Championships on March 13-15.
Sweeney is the seventh Tiger this season to be named either Swimmer or Diver of the Month by the Big 12. This is the second time Sweeney has been selected for this award this season. He was selected as December's Diver of the Month. Most recently fellow divers Anna Massey and Evan Watters were named Female and Male Divers of the Month for the first half of January. Watters was also selected as Diver of the Month for October. Fellow seniors Matt Ferrarelli and Radu Miclaus were selected as November and October Swimmers of the Month, respectively and junior Andrea Nigh was selected October Swimmer of the Month for the women's swimming team. Sweeney joins Watters as the only two male divers selected more than once by the conference as a Diver of the Month recipient.
Both the men's and women's swimming and diving teams are preparing for the Big 12 Conference Championships next week (February 19-22) in Austin, Texas.