Big 12 Announces Swimmers & Divers of the Month II

DALLAS, November 27. THE Big 12 Conference announced the second group of swimmers and divers of the month today based on performances in the last two weeks of November. Selections were made by a vote of the league's head swimming and diving coaches.

In addition to these men and women, student-athletes were also awarded on Nov. 13 for performances during the first two weeks of the month due to the fact that the majority of the fall swimming and diving events for Big 12 teams take place in November.

The coaches selected Amy Gruber of Kansas and Linda Wagner of Iowa State as the Big 12 Female Swimmer and Diver of the Month II, respectively. Missouri's Matt Ferrarelli earned the Male Swimmer of the Month II, while Texas A&M's Christian Picard received the Male Diver of the Month II award.

Gruber, a sophomore for the Jayhawks, placed second in the 50- (22.96) and 100-yard (50.22) freestyle races at the 2002 Nike Cup Invitational Nov. 21-23. The Bigelow, Ark., native's time in the 50 freestyle marks only the second time in KU history that a women's swimmer has broken the 23-second barrier, and also has provisionally qualified Gruber for the NCAA Championships. In addition to Gruber's runner-up finishes in those events, she also was a member of the 200- (third: 1:35.00), 400- (fourth: 3:27.03), and 800-yard freestyle (third: 7:29.42) and 200-yard medley (fifth: 1:45.12) relay teams. KU recorded a fourth-place finish out of the 10 teams at the meet.

In women's diving action, Wagner recorded her highest dive in the one-meter springboard competition at the Minnesota Invitational Nov. 22-24. Wagner, who hails from Westminster, Colo., earned 272.45 points in the event. The Cyclone junior diver also was 12th in the three-meter (427.30) and 13th on the platform (292.85). ISU finished the meet in sixth place after posting 294.5 points.

Missouri also competed at the Minnesota Invitational, where Ferrarelli won the men's 200- (1:49.74) and 400-yard (3:52.94) individual medley. Both of the Retford Nottinghamshire, England, senior's performances in those competitions were NCAA provisional qualifying times, while Ferrarelli's 200 IM clocking is the fastest time in the country. He also picked up second in the 200 backstroke (1:49.39), seventh in the 400 medley relay (3:25.40), 10th in the 400 freestyle relay (3:11.31) and 11th in the 100 backstroke (51.23). The Tigers were fourth at the meet.

Picard helped the Aggies defeat Louisiana-Monroe 173-117 Nov. 15, and place second at the Pittsburgh Invitational Nov. 22-24. At UL Monroe, the Montreal, Quebec, Canada, native, won the three-meter (305.55) and was the runner-up in the one-meter (280.13) springboard. A week later, Picard, only a freshman, recorded first-place finishes in three events, the one-meter (295.15), three-meter (512.05) and platform (points not available) diving competitions.

The December Big 12 Female and Male Swimmers and Divers of the Month will be released Wed., Dec. 18.

2002-03 BIG 12 SWIMMERS AND DIVERS OF THE MONTH

Female Swimmers
October: Andrea Nigh, Missouri
November I: Sarah Wanezek, Texas
November II: Amy Gruber, Kansas

Female Divers
October: Katie Williams, Texas A&M
November I: Amie Buoy, Nebraska
Summer Mitchell, Texas
November II: Linda Wagner, Iowa State

Male Swimmers
October: Radu Miclaus, Missouri
November I: Aaron Peirsol, Texas
November II: Matt Ferrarelli, Missouri

Male Divers
October: Evan Watters, Missouri
November I: Mark Shattuck, Texas
November II: Christian Picard, Texas A&M

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