SEC FEMALE SWIMMER OF THE WEEK – Christina Bechtel, Kentucky
On the strengths of two wins in the butterfly, UK junior Christina Bechtel is ranked third nationally in the 100 yard butterfly. Against Ohio State in UK’s home opener, she finished first in the 100 yard fly with a time of 54.34. Bechtel, an NCAA qualifier last year, also posted a win in the 200 yard butterfly with a time of 2:00.75 against the Buckeyes. In her other two races, both relays, she helped her relay to a 2nd and 3rd place finish.
SEC FEMALE DIVER OF THE WEEK – Patricia Kranz, South Carolina
Kranz won the three-meter board with 369.23 points, coming up just shy of a career mark, during South Carolina’s season opening sweep of College of Charleston. The Florida native took second on the one-meter board (303.52 points).
SEC FEMALE FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK – Allyx Purcell, Auburn
Purcell won five events (three individual) in her first two collegiate meets. Her 50 free time of 22.87 during the Notre Dame tri-meet ranks fourth in the nation while her 100 free time (50.30) is seventh-best in the nation and second-fastest among freshmen nationally. She has played a major role in Auburn’s 3-0 start to the season with two dual wins over ranked opponents (Indiana, Notre Dame).
SEC MALE SWIMMER OF THE WEEK – Marcelo Chierighini, Auburn
Chierighini swam a 19.93 in the 50 free during action at the Notre Dame tri-meet, a mark that ranks first the nation. He is one of two swimmers in the country with a sub-20 second time in the 50 free this season. Chierighini’s 44.09 finish in the 100 free ranks second fastest in the nation. He tallied a pair of top-two finishes in each event entered in AU’s first meet of the year (50 free, 100 free, 200 MR, 400 FR).
SEC MALE DIVER OF THE WEEK – Greg Ferrucci, Kentucky
Ferrucci recorded wins in all four competitions to start the season. At Georgia, he notched victories in the 1- and 3-meter dives, with scores of 376.28 and 347.48, respectively. Ferrucci’s two wins resulted in half of UK’s four victories at UGA. The senior swept the diving events again at home against Ohio State. The UK men and women have claimed 13 victories this season, four from Ferrucci.
SEC MALE FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK – Mitch D’Arrigo, Florida
D’Arrigo earned his first collegiate victory with a first place swim of 4:26.35 in the 500 freestyle. D’Arrigo, making the transition from long course meters to yards, posted his fastest time in the 500 free (4:26.04) at the All Florida Invitational at the end of September. In addition to his 500 free against Minnesota, D’Arrigo posted a 200 free time of 1:39.17 in a third place finish behind teammates Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez and Corey Main.
MOUNTAIN WEST FEMALE SWIMMER OF THE WEEK – Brittany Aoyama, Boise State
Aoyama clocked in the 100-yard butterfly in 54.95, setting a pool record previously held by Olympic gold medalist Rachel Bootsma. Her individual times currently rank first in the Mountain West, and her 100-butterfly time ranks eighth in the nation. The freshman clocked a 24.29 in the 50-yard butterfly, and led off the 800 freestyle relay with a time of 1:51.50. Boise State’s 800 freestyle relay touched in at 7:33.32, which currently holds for the fourth fastest time in the nation. Aoyama also anchored the 200-yard freestyle relay in 23.01.
MOUNTAIN WEST FEMALE DIVER OF THE WEEK – Ciera Cortney, Boise State
The Las Vegas native set a Fresno State pool record in the 1-meter springboard with a score of 306.30. Cortney’s score was also high enough for the third-highest score in Boise State history. At the Bulldog Invitational, she bettered her personal best in the 3-meter springboard with a score of 317.17, second highest in Bronco history. With her scores from last weekend, Cortney holds five of the top-10 3-meter scores in Boise State history. Both her scores in the 1-meter and 3-meter earned Cortney qualification to the NCAA Zones in March.
