The CSCAA Executive Board of Directors takes great pleasure in announcing the 2013 recipients of our five major awards. The awards will be presented at the CSCAA Annual Banquet on Thursday, May 16, 2013 held in conjunction with the CSCAA Convention at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort.
The Collegiate and Scholastic Trophy: Matt Kredich, The University of Tennessee
The Benjamin Franklin Award: Whit Babcock, The University of Cincinnati
The Speedo Lifetime Achievement Award: Skip Kenney, Stanford University, retired
The Steadman Award: Nancy Bigelow, Tufts University
The Charles McCaffree Award: Dr. Steven Scott and Captain Ray O’Donnell
THE NATIONAL COLLEGIATE and SCHOLASTIC SWIMMING TROPHY
The National Collegiate and Scholastic Swimming Trophy, is the highest award of its kind in the United States. It is presented to an individual or organization for having contributed in an outstanding way to swimming as a competitive sport and as a healthful recreational activity at schools and colleges. The 2013 Recipient of the Collegiate Trophy is Matt Kredich, the head coach of the women’s and men’s swimming teams at the University of Tennessee. Coach Kredich led the Volunteer Men to a 16th place finish while the Lady Vols captured 3rd place at their respective 2013 NCAA Championships in their first year as a combined program. The Lady Vols not only started off the NCAA Championship with the first relay victory in program history by winning the 400 Medley Relay, they continued on to win the next two relay events of the meet, 200 Freestyle Relay and the 200 Medley Relay.
Said Kredich on the award “I'm very grateful for the recognition that this award brings to the job that our entire coaching staff did this year. Because I have tremendous respect for the high level of coaching that goes on across all NCAA divisions in a variety of circumstances, it is really very humbling to have our program honored in this way. I'm very appreciative of the recognition and I'm committed to live up to the standard that this award represents.”
After seven successful seasons of directing the Lady Vols, 2012-13 was Matt Kreich’s first season of coaching the newly combined Tennessee men's and women's swimming and diving program.
During Kredich's tenure at Tennessee, the Lady Vols have broken all 19 Tennessee swimming and diving records, including new marks in all five relays. The team has produced 32 All-Americans who have achieved a comprehensive total of 179 All-American certificates. The team also finished in the top 15 at the NCAA Championships for a school-record seven consecutive seasons, encompassing the entirety of Kredich's leadership of the UT women's program including this year’s 3rd place finish, the highest in program history.
Benjamin Franklin Award
Awarded to the individual, or organization, whose efforts best promote the integrity and enhancement of the student?athlete ideal. The inaugural winner of this award in 2008 was Dr. Myles Brand. The 2013 recipient of the Benjamin Franklin Award is Whit Babcock, Director of Athletics at the University of Cincinnati. Mr. Babcock recently announced a commitment to reinstate and enhance Olympic Sport scholarships and funding at the University of Cincinnati, including the restoration of scholarships to the men’s and women’s Bearcat Swimming Teams.
“I’m truly honored by this recognition from the College Swimming Coaches Association of America,” stated Babcock. “The scholarship enhancements for our Olympic sport programs at UC, including swimming and diving, are a necessary step as we aim to compete at a championship level and achieve comprehensive excellence for our entire department.”
Mr. Babcock was quick to point out that this was an effort by many people at UC who played a key role in this decision and initiative including UC President Dr. Santa Ono and UC Football Coach Tommy Tuberville who pledged $300,000 towards the effort.
In the midst of his second year on campus, Whit Babcock’s tenure began with the Bearcats' leader initiating a new administrative structure within the department, a comprehensive vision for athletic facility enhancement, a three-year strategic plan for all facets of the program, and numerous external relations strategies to connect and engage with Bearcats' alumni, donors, fans, and students. At the end of his first year at UC the competitive successes by Bearcat teams led to UC's highest finish in the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup standings, a system that ranks athletic departments across all sports nationally.
Speedo CSCAA Lifetime Achievement Award
Awarded to the individual whose efforts best exemplify the integrity and ideals of collegiate swimming and who has achieved significant success in the sport while still imparting the educational and character building qualities of the collegiate swimming experience. The 2013 recipient of the CSCAA Speedo Lifetime Achievement Award is Skip Kenney of Stanford University.
Before retiring in 2012, Coach Kenney Skip Kenney served as a three time US Olympic Coach, was recognized as the CSCAA NCAA Division I Coach of the Year six times and was honored as the Pac-10 Coach of the Year 20 times. In 33 years at Stanford he led the Cardinal to 7 NCAA Men’s Championships and 31 straight conference titles.
Skip Kenney has developed some of the top swimmers in the world. Through his three decades at Stanford he proved to be one of the most successful coaches in the history of collegiate athletics. In 2004, he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame, and a year later he was elected into the American Swim Coaches Hall of Fame.
THE RICHARD E. STEADMAN AWARD
The Richard E. Steadman award is conferred annually to a swimming or diving coach in high school, club, or university ranks who, in the opinion of the CSCAA, has done the most to spread happiness in Coach Steadman’s beloved sport of swimming and diving. The 2013 Recipient of the Richard E. Steadman Award is Nancy Bigelow of Tufts University.
“I am thrilled beyond words to be the recipient of this very special award and humbled to be listed with some the greatest coaches in our sport. Thank you!” Said Bigelow upon learning of the honor.
Nancy Bigelow recently completed her 37th season as a college swimming coach, including the past 31 seasons at Tufts University.
Twice in the past five years (2009 and 2012), Bigelow was selected as the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Coach of the Year. The 2012-13 team’s victory over Wheaton College at home on January 26 was the 200th of Coach Bigelow’s tenure at Tufts. Her teams have posted a 200-80-2 record for dual meets during her 30 seasons at Tufts, an outstanding .713 winning percentage.
Coach Bigelow was also presented the Massachusetts State Lottery and Boston College Athletics “Heights Award” in January 2008. The award recognizes the Massachusetts residents who have made significant contributions to women's athletics.
CHARLES McCAFFREE AWARD
The Charles McCaffree Award is presented annually to an individual connected to the sport of swimming who has achieved outstanding success in a field other than Aquatics. The 2013 Charles McCaffree award is presented jointly to Dr. Steven Scott and Captain Ray O’Donnell.
Captain Ray O’Donnell was captain of the 2001 University of Hawaii Swimming Team and a letter winner from 1998-2001. During his time at Hawaii he was also a member of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and went into active duty following graduation.
The recipient of a Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Capt. O’Donnell was injured during a routine combat patrol in August 2007 in Afghanistan. A roadside bomb threw Capt. O’Donnell approximately 80 feet from his vehicle.
Dr. Steven Scott from the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital in Tampa, Florida is the Medical Director of the Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center; Chief of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Assistant Professor, University of South Florida College of Medicine; Program Director of the Rehab Medicine and Spinal Cord Injury Residency Programs; Principle Investigator of the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Program. Dr. Scott was the recipient of the Olin E. Teague Award which is the highest award for treating War-Related Injuries in the VA in 2004, received the Commander Award as VA Employee of the Year from the Disable Veterans of American in 2007. Dr. Scott has made numerous presentations on the Polytrauma System of Care throughout the Nation as well as appearances on National Television and Newspapers and has testified before congress on care for military veterans.
Dr. Scott is a 1972 graduate of Springfield College where he was a member of the swimming team and achieved CSCAA All-American Status. He is listed among the school’s distinguished alumni and returns to speak at the college.
Dr. Scott was a part of the team of physicians involved with Captain O’Donnell’s recovery and rehabilitation. Captain Ray O’Donnell, who, with a most appreciative spirit, overcame all odds to again lead troops in battle after numerous obstacles and surgeries. It is with great pride that the CSCAA honors these two former collegiate swimmers whose life paths crossed in a critical and amazing manner.
