Record setting swims and Multiple NCAA times for Rebecca Soni and Nathan Silva earned the two the Counsilman Hunsaker National Collegiate Swimmer-of-the-Week honors. Clark Burckle (University of Florida), Jenna Thayer (Grand Valley State University), Annie Perizzolo (Claremont Mudd Scripps), and John Thomas (Johns Hopkins University) also received the award. The six were selected based on their performances October 20-26 by a panel of collegiate coaches.
Division I Women
Rebecca Soni, University of Southern California
Soni (Plainsboro, NJ) won three events at the Southern Methodist University Classic. Soni won the 100 breaststroke (1:00.32, NCAA “B” time), the 200 Breaststroke (2:09.12, NCAA “A” time) and the 200 individual medley (2:00.64, NCAA “B” time). The senior assisted on the winning 400 medley relay (3:38.65, NCAA “B” time). While leading her team to victory at the SMU Classic, Soni set new meet and pool records in the 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke, and the 400 medley relay.
Division I Men
Clark Burckle, University of Florida
Burckle (Louisville, KY) had two wins in a 166-131 victory over LouisianaState University. Burckle won the 200 breaststroke (1:58.71) and the 200 butterfly (1:49.05). The junior was also on the winning 200 medley relay (1:30.14).
Division II Women
Jenna Thayer, Grand Valley State University
Thayer (Okemos, MI) aided her team in victories over Hillsdale College 134-92 and over Lewis University 146-58. Thayer won both the 200 individual medley (2:11.27, NCAA “B” time) and the 200 butterfly (2:08.86, NCAA “B” time). The sophomore was also on the winning 400 medley relay (4:04.12).
Division II Men
Nelson Silva, Ouachita Baptist University
Silva (Sao Paulo, Brazil) helped guide the Tiger Sharks to victory over Henderson State University 134-101. Silva captured three individual wins while earning four automatic qualifying times. He claimed victories in the 200 individual medley (1:50.96-school record), the 100 butterfly (49.66), and the 100 backstroke (49.02). The sophomore also achieved a national cut in the 1000 freestyle (9:29.04-school record) while swimming exhibition.
Division III Women
Annie Perizzolo, CMS
Perizzolo (Aurora, CO) had two wins in the dual meet loss against UC-San Diego. Perizzolo won the 100 breaststroke (1:06.92, NCAA “B” time) and the 200 breaststroke (2:25.15, NCAA “B” time). The sophomore also swam on the third place 200 medley relay (1:50.47) and on the fifth place
400 freestyle relay (3:49.63).
Division III Men
John Thomas, Johns Hopkins University
Thomas (Montrose, CO) swept the backstroke events in the dual meet against the University of Maryland. Thomas won the 100 backstroke (52.25) and the 200 backstroke (1:55.33). The junior assisted on the second place 200 medley relay (1:36.09) and the first place 200 freestyle relay (1:26.35). The Johns Hopkins men's team swam against a Division I opponent for the second straight week, falling 167-105 to Maryland.
Underwriting for The National Swimmer-of-the-Week Awards is provided by Counsilman-Hunsaker, a multiservice engineering, planning, and design firm that specializes in aquatic facilities. For more information visit www.aquaticconsultant.com.
