AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn swimming and diving teams celebrated the first year under head coach Gary Taylor by handing out numerous team awards at the annual banquet on Saturday evening at Auburn Arena.
Aly Tetzloff and Santiago Grassi were awarded the War Eagle Award, given to the Most Outstanding Performer on each team. Tetzloff finished her career in grand style, earning seven All-America honors, an SEC individual championship, a SEC relay championship and two school records in her final year on The Plains. Grassi wrapped up his junior season with All-America honors in the 100 fly, three top-6 finishes at the SEC Championships and five more top-25 performances across the butterfly events throughout the season.
The Toomer's Corner Award for the Most Outstanding Single Performance when to the women's 400 free relay team of Claire Fisch, Julie Meynen, Tetzloff and Falconer as the quartet set an Auburn and SEC record in winning the championship's final event in 3:10.45. Grassi's 100 fly from NCAAs earned the award from the men's team.
The Auburn Creed Award for Most Improved went to junior David Crossland and sophomore Mcauley Parker. Crossland saw his role increase as he became the number one backstroker on the team, moving into the top-10 performers list at the NCAA Championships. A breaststroke specialist, Parker saw massive time drops across her two primary events, shaving two-and-a-half seconds off her best 100 breast time, down from 1:04.23 to 1:01.75, and over three-and-a-half seconds off her 200 breast time. from 2:20.30 to 2:16.57.
Conner Pruitt and Emily Hetzer earned the Bodda Getta Award as the Most Outstanding Freshman. Pruitt competed on all three boards at the NCAA meet, was Auburn's top performer on all three boards at the Zone B Championships and earned a seventh-place finish on the platform at SECs. Hetzer became one of Auburn's best distance swimmers in her first year, putting her name in the top-5 for the 500 free, 1000 free and 1650 free, earning All-America honors in the mile, the same event she finished fourth in at SECs.
Lauren Dunn and Russell Noletto took home the Scholar-Athlete Award while Tetzloff and Foster Ballard were given the Scholar-Athlete Perseverance Award.
The Iron Tiger Award for performance in strength and conditioning went to Alison Maillard and Brooks Merkle while the All-Auburn Award, based on scholarship, leadership and athletic performance went to Erin Falconer, Ballard and Noletto.
Rounding out the awards was the Ralph Crocker Spirit of Auburn Award, given to an athlete, coach or support person who exemplifies Crocker's spirit and character as illuminated by the Auburn Creed. This year's winner was Ken Adams from the Martin Aquatics Center staff.
-- War Eagle –