May 3, 2006
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Missouri swimming and diving team handed out its postseason awards at the annual team banquet last Friday evening at Mizzou Arena. Senior diver Evan Watters took home three honors on the men's side, while senior Liz Schoborg and junior Shannon Hogan each collected two on the women's side.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of the first Joe Goldfarb Excellence Award, named for the legendary coach who guided the Mizzou swimming and diving program for over 20 years, to Schoborg.
"Joe has had such a huge influence on this program that we wanted to have something that represented what he brought, and continues to bring, to Mizzou swimming," head coach Brian Hoffer said. "It was nice that he was able to be there and present the award himself. It's hard to even put into words what he has done for swimming and diving at Mizzou."
Schoborg concluded her career this season as one of the most decorated swimmers in school history. She holds the school record in the 100 fly at a time of 54.75, and was a member of the 200 free relay, 400 free relay, 200 medley relay and 400 medley relay school-record holding squads. She currently stands second in school history in the 200 fly (2:00.84).
Senior Dan Buhr was named the recipient of the Michael Polkamp Award, given each year since 1993 to the Mizzou swimmer or diver who makes an outstanding contribution to the program. Polkamp was a former Mizzou swimmer and Gulf War veteran who was killed in military duty.
Buhr was a member of the 800 free relay team that set the school record at the 2006 Big 12 Championships with a time of 6:41.40. The record, which was broken twice this season, stood since 1981.
"Dan has been a valuable member of our team for four years," Hoffer said. "He really helped the coaching staff a lot this year by taking on a leadership role on a team with 25 freshmen. It's a pleasure for us to be able to recognize what he's done outside of the pool, as well as in."
A third senior, Brooke Olson, was the recipient of the Harry Bell Award, presented annually in honor of the late father of former Mizzou swimmer Mary Grace Bell to a team member who overcomes an obstacle during the season.
"Brooke had an injured shoulder all season that actually required surgery soon after the conference championships were over," Hoffer said. "She went out and trained hard everyday, though, and really set an example for some of the younger swimmers."
Watters and Hogan were named MVP for the men's and women's teams, respectively.
Watters became the first male diver, and second male overall, in the 40-year history of the Mizzou swimming and diving program to earn All-America honors, garnering second-team All-America status on the 1-meter board and the platform at the 2006 NCAA National Championships in Atlanta. Widely regarded as the best diver in Mizzou history, he is the school record holder on the 1 and 3-meter boards, a five-time Big 12 Diver of the Month and a three-time Mizzou Diver of the Year.
After earning women's Newcomer of the Year honors in 2004-05, Hogan continued her stellar performance for the Tigers by setting the school record in the 50 free with a time of 23.07. She also stands atop the Mizzou lists as part of the school-record holding 200 and 400 free relay teams, is second all-time in the 100 free (50.37) and fourth in Mizzou history in the 100 back (56.47).
"We wouldn't have anywhere near as productive a year if those two hadn't stepped up for us," Hoffer said. "They really gave us a boost when we needed it, and they were a steadying force for us all season."
A pair of sophomores, Alex Zasadny and Jill Bastien, took home the Most Improved Swimmer awards after second seasons in which they emerged as primary options for Hoffer and the rest of the coaching staff.
 Sophomore Alex Zasadny was named the Men's Most Improved Swimmer.  |
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"These awards are the product of hard work for an entire year," Hoffer said. "Both Alex and Jill put in the time that it takes to get better and it paid off for them, and for the team because they really helped us out this year."
Freshman Brad Hubbard was named the men's Newcomer of the Year, and classmate Lori Halvorson took home the same honor for the women.
The versatile Halvorson posted one of the best freshman campaigns in recent Mizzou history, breaking the school record in the 200 IM with a time of 2:02.97 and the 200 free in a time of 1:48.86. She led off the 800 free relay team that broke the school record at the Big 12 Championships in a time of 7:23.33. In addition to those feats, she also stands second in school history in both the 500 free (4:53.37) and 200 back (1:59.75).
Hubbard swam the second leg on the 800 free relay team that broke the school mark at the conference championships, and was also a member of the squad that set the record earlier in the season at the Texas Invite. At this year's Big 12 Championships, he notched an 11th-place finish in the 500 free (4:36.03), a 12th-place finish in the 200 free (1:40.66) and 14th-place finish in the 100 free (47.01).
"Making the adjustment to Big 12 swimming is hard, but Brad and Lori showed this year that they have what it takes to be good college swimmers," Hoffer said. "They gave us great productivity and really just impressed people from day one."
Sophomore Bennett Clark walked away with the men's Big 12 Performer of the Year award, while Hogan and Schoborg split the honor.
Clark, the school record holder in the 100 free and a member of the record-setting 800 free quartet, placed seventh in the 50 free (20.51) and 200 free (1:39.89) and ninth in the 100 free (45.45) at the conference meet. Hogan placed seventh in the 50 free (23.34), eighth in the 100 free (50.64) and 11th in the 100 back (56.47), while Schoborg took second in the 200 fly (2:00.84), sixth in the 100 fly (45.75) and 11th in the 50 free (23.63) at the Big 12 meet.
Watters took home his third career Diver of the Year honor, and freshman Kendra Melnychuk earned the award on the women's side. Watters was also award the team's NCAA Performer of the Year Award.
Melnychuk had a solid freshman campaign for the Tigers, qualifying for the NCAA Zone D Championships, which were held in her home pool. She placed third on the platform, seventh on the 3-meter board and eighth on the 1-meter at that meet after capturing two third-place finishes at the conference championships (on the 3-meter board and the platform).