College Aquatic Athlete of the Week Roundup: Freshmen Shine In ACC, Big 10

PHOENIX, Arizona, October 8. EACH week on SwimmingWorld.com, we will highlight the top collegiate swimmers and divers in NCAA competition, as decided by the individual conferences. While most conferences only name a top male and female swimmer and diver, others offer other weekly accolades, and we will mention those as well.

Atlantic Coast Conference

Male Swimmer of the Week: Hunter Knight, Duke University
Knight was very busy at the All-North Carolina Invitational last weekend, winning the 100 breast in a meet record 56.92 and placing second in the 200 breast (2:02.64). He was also the team’s go-to breaststroker on the 200 medley relay team that placed third in the meet. Notably, Knight’s 100 breast swim broke his meet record set last year by two tenths.

Female Swimmer of the Week: Kristin Connors, North Carolina State University
Connors started her season very well at the All-North Carolina Invitational, winning the 200 free in 1:51.71, the 500 free in 4:58.50 and the 400 medley relay. The time in the 200 free is just two seconds off her lifetime best, a good sign in the early goings of the season.

Male Diver of the Week: Grant Saale, North Carolina State University
Grant Saale started his collegiate career with a diving win at the All-North Carolina Invite, taking the 1-meter with 287.25 points.

Big 12 conference

Male Swimmer of the Week: Daryl Turner, University of Minnesota
Turner, a freshman at Minnesota, was a star in his collegiate debut, winning four events in Saturday’s dual meet against Arizona State. Turner won the 100 free with a 44.65 as well as the 100 back in 48.43. Both times are less than a second off his lifetime bests, both of which were swum at altitude at the Colorado high school championships (although 100-yard races are not extremely affected by altitude).

Male Diver of the Week: Manny Pollard, University of Minnesota
Pollard won both diving events against Arizona State on Saturday, qualifying him for the NCAA zone meets in March that will be used to pick the divers who go to the NCAA championships.

Male Freshman of the Week: Brett Pinfold, University of Wisconsin
Interestingly, the Freshman of the Week honor did not go to Turner, but to Pinfold, who was very busy in the two-day dual meet at the University of Georgia last weekend. Pinfold won the 50 free (20.74) and 200 free (1:38.68) while also placing third in the 100 free (45.39).

Female Swimmer of the Week: Ivy Martin, University of Wisconsin
Martin, a junior for Wisconsin, won the sprint freestyles in impressive fashion against Georgia. Her 50 free time of 22.38 will be hard to beat through the season, and her 100 free winning time of 49.09 is not too shabby, either. Martin is no stranger to the Big 12 Swimmer of the Week honor, having been so named twice before.

Female Diver of the Week: Maggie Keefer, University of Minnesota
Keefer is also no stranger to conference accolades, picking up her 11th Diver of the Week honor after sweeping the diving events at the dual meet against Arizona State.

Female Freshman of the Week: Breanne Siwicki, University of Minnesota
Siwicki’s first collegiate race was a victory, winning the 1000 free against Arizona State with a 10:08.89.

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