IOWA CITY, Iowa – Saturday inside of the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center, the Denver women claimed their 12
th straight Summit League Swimming & Diving trophy while the Pioneer men claimed their 11
th title in the last 12 years. The women took home the title with a total team score of 1,078 while the men totaled 975.
Women’s Final Standings
| Place |
School |
Score |
| 1. |
Denver |
1,078 |
| 2. |
South Dakota |
712 |
| 3. |
Omaha |
568.50 |
| 4. |
St. Thomas |
395 |
| 5. |
South Dakota State |
325.50 |
| 6. |
Southern Indiana |
272 |
| 7. |
Eastern Illinois |
184 |
Men’s Final Standings
| Place |
School |
Score |
| 1. |
Denver |
975 |
| 2. |
South Dakota |
697.50 |
| 3. |
South Dakota State |
544 |
| 4. |
Omaha |
507.50 |
| 5. |
St. Thomas |
352 |
| 6. |
Southern Indiana |
268 |
| 7. |
Eastern Illinois |
193 |
Women's Individual Awards
Swimming Championship MVP: Jessica Maeda, Denver
Diving Championship MVP: Savanna Berry, Denver
Newcomer of the Championships: Emily Diprospero, South Dakota
Co-Scholar of the Championship presented by JLG Architects: Christina Spomer, South Dakota
Co-Scholar of the Championship presented by JLG Architects: Katie Pattee, South Dakota State
Diving Coach of the Year: Aaron D'Addario, Denver
Swimming Coach of the Year: Alicia Hicken-Franklin, Denver
Men's Individual Awards
Swimming Championship MVP: Brandon Chapman, Denver
Diving Championship MVP: Zyad Morsy, Denver
Newcomer of the Championships: Hamish McLellan, Denver
Scholar of the Championship presented by JLG Architects: Nolan Wallace, Eastern Illinois
Diving Coach of the Year: Aaron D'Addario, Denver
Swimming Coach of the Year: Alicia Hicken-Franklin, Denver
Notes on Individual Honorees
Pioneer senior Jessica Maeda was named the women’s Swimming Championship MVP for the second straight year. Maeda claimed the honor with 60 total points for the Pios.
She completed a career sweep in each of her three individual events capturing gold medals in the women’s 200 IM (2:00.86), 100 breast (1:00.83) and 200 breast (2:11.46).
En route to her four-peat performances, she achieved NCAA B-Cuts in the 100 breast (1:00.83) and the 200 breast (2:12.75 – prelims; 2:11.46 – finals).
Teammate Savanna Berry became the third consecutive Pioneer to be named the Diving Championship MVP on the women’s side. She earned the accolade after securing both gold medals on the boards.
In the 1-meter dive, she was the third consecutive DU female diver to be crowned champion after totaling an NCAA Zone Cut score of 273.45. On the 3-meter board, she captured the top spot on the podium by one point, taking first with a total score of 274.35.
South Dakota freshman Emily Diprospero became the first Coyote in program history to be named the women’s Newcomer of the Championship with 50.50 total points.
Her points came from runner-up finishes in the 500 free (4:52.17), 200 free (1:49.44) and the 1,650 free (16:59.38).
Brandon Chapman of Denver walked home with the men’s Swimming Championship MVP honor with a total of 57 total points. His points came from gold medal performances in the 100 fly (47.10) and 200 fly (1:45.69) as well as a runner-up finish in the 50 free (19.96).
DU’s Zyad Morsy took home his second-consecutive men’s Diving Championship MVP honor after claiming first in both the 1-meter and the 3-meter dives. Morsy was crowned the 1-meter dive champion for the second straight time after scoring an NCAA Zone Cut total of 345.40. On the final day he secured his second straight 3-meter dive title with an NCAA Zone Cut score of 371.75.
Fellow Pio Hamish McLellan was named the Newcomer of the Championship on the men’s side with 50 individual points. McLellan’s individual honor was achieved after finishing second in the 100 fly (47.62) and 100 free (44.32) as well as third in the 50 free (20.13).
Denver’s Aaron D’Addario was named the women’s Diving Coach of the Year for the sixth consecutive year and claimed the honor on the men’s side for the fourth straight season. After a season that saw a handful of NCAA B-Cuts throughout the roster, D’Addario’s diving squad carried momentum into the championships.
The Pioneers claimed all four gold medals in the individual diving events as well as a team diving event title on the men’s side, and a second-place finish in the women’s team diving event.
Denver head swimming and diving coach, Alicia Hicken-Franklin earned her sixth consecutive women’s Coach of the Year honor and second career award for the men’s side. This weekend alone, Franklin guided the Pioneer women to their 12
th straight crown and the Pio men to their 11
th in the last 12 years.
Other Notable Performances
Joseph Hancock and Kieran Watson led the Pioneers to claim five of the top eight places on the podium in the men’s 1,650 free. Hancock took the gold medal with an NCAA B-Cut time of 15:09.03 while Watson secured second with an NCAA B-Cut time of 15:13.62.
DU’s Dylan Wright completed a three-peat of the 200 back. He collected his third consecutive event title with an NCAA B-Cut time of 1:42.52.
South Dakota’s Emily Kahn was crowned the 100 free champion for the third straight time in her career. She took the top spot on the podium with a time of 49.39. Her winning time ranks third all-time in the league record books.
The Coyote women’s relay squad defended their title in the 400 free relay. The quartet of Kahn, Grace Schultz, Madilyn Gehrke and Carson White finished in 3:21.74.
Women’s Champions Crowned
1,650 freestyle: Paige Reilly, Denver | 16:44.23
200 backstroke: Mina Ada Solaker, Denver | 1:57.72
100 freestyle: Emily Kahn, South Dakota | 49.39
200 breaststroke: Jessica Maeda, Denver | 2:11.46 (NCAA B-Cut)
200 butterfly: Mia Moulden, Denver | 2:00.38
400 freestyle relay: South Dakota | 3:21.74
Men’s Champions Crowned
1,650 freestyle: Joseph Hancock, Denver | 15:09.03 (NCAA B-Cut)
200 backstroke: Dylan Wright, Denver | 1:42.52 (NCAA B-Cut)
100 freestyle: Frank Tirone, Denver | 44.02
200 breaststroke: Marco Nosack, Denver | 1:57.54
200 butterfly: Brandon Chapman, Denver | 1:45.69
3M dive: Zyad Morsy, Denver | 371.75 (NCAA Standard)
400 freestyle relay: Denver | 2:56.17
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