Courtesy: Big 12 Sports
TCU and Texas took home the Big 12 Swimming and Diving yearly awards. Texas collected nine of the ten including Men’s Swimmer, Men’s Diver, Men’s Newcomer, Men’s Swimming Coach, Men’s Diving Coach, Women’s Swimmer, Women’s Diver, Women’s Newcomer and Women’s Swimming Coach. TCU garnered Women’s Diving Coach for the first time in program history.
The Longhorn men have swept the accolades nine straight years and 16 times in program history.
Luke Hobson was named as Men’s Swimmer of the Year after finishing as the national champion in the 200 free and 500 free while also helping the Longhorns 800 free relay squad to an American record. The sophomore helped Texas to a third-place finish at the NCAA National Championships with six All-American performances (200 free, 500 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay, 800 free relay and 400 medley relay).
Emma Sticklen earned Women’s Swimmer of the Year to make it seven years straight that Texas has taken home the award. Sticklen became the first Longhorn to win the 200 butterfly national title since Kim Linehan in 1982. The junior finished with six All-American performances and assisted UT to a national runner-up finish.
Noah Duperre was voted Men’s Diver of the Year as he garnered All-American honors on the 3-meter and Honorable Mention All-American Honors on platform and 1-meter. The two-time All-American was named the Big 12 Championship Diver of the Meet after winning the first Big 12 title of his career on platform.
Hailey Hernandez was voted the Women’s Diver of the Year and became the lone competitor to repeat in the Conference yearly awards. She earned All-American honors on the 1-meter while obtaining Honorable Mention All-American honors on the 3-meter. The Southlake, Texas native concluded the regular season with 13 top-three placements, including four wins on the 1-meter and two victories on the 3-meter.
Nick Harris kept the Men’s Newcomer of the Year award in Austin and became the 22nd different Longhorn to win the award since the inception of the Conference as he earned All-American honors on the 1-meter. The freshman also won the Big 12 Championship Diving Newcomer of the Meet and Big 12 Diver of the Week four times this season.
Lydia Jacoby was selected as Women’s Newcomer of the Year after becoming the first Texas swimmer to win the 100 breaststroke national title since 1988. The freshman picked up two All-American performances in the 100 breast and 400 medley relay while also securing two Big 12 titles (100 breast, 200 breast) and setting National Age Group (17-18) records in both events as well. The Seward, Alaska native also ended the year with three Big 12 Newcomer of the Week awards.
Eddie Reese collected his 19th Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year award in 26 seasons. Reese guided the Texas’ Men’s squad to a third-place finish at the NCAA National Championship to bring his total to 36 times in 45 seasons that his team has finished in the top-three nationally. The Longhorns also won the Big 12 title for the 27th consecutive year under the tutelage of Reese after winning 20 of the 21 events, including all 18 swimming events.
Carol Capitani garnered the Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year after leading the Texas Women’s team to their second consecutive NCAA runner-up finish and a top-three finish for the third year in a row. It is the longest streak in the top-three for Texas since 1993-95. Under Capitani’s guidance, UT had two swimmers win individual national titles for the first time since 2001. It is her ninth career and seventh year in a row to win the Conference’s yearly award.
Matt Scoggin won the Men’s Diving Coach of the Year for the 12th straight year and 18th time in his career. He had three divers qualify for the national championships for a combined total of seven events, with all three divers reaching the championship or consolation finals in each of the seven events.
Anthony Crowder earned the first Women’s Diving Coach of the Year award in TCU program history to wrap up the honors. Crowder coached five women’s divers to the NCAA Zone qualifiers while also guiding Anna Kwong to the silver-medal in the 1-meter finals at the Big 12 Championships.
2022-23 Big 12 Swimming and Diving of the Year Award Winners
Men’s Swimmer: Luke Hobson, Texas
Men’s Diver: Noah Duperre, Texas
Men’s Newcomer: Nick Harris, Texas
Women’s Swimmer: Emma Sticklen, Texas
Women’s Diver: Hailey Hernandez, Texas
Women’s Newcomer: Lydia Jacoby, Texas
Men’s Swimming Coach: Eddie Reese, Texas
Men’s Diving Coach: Matt Scoggin, Texas
Women’s Swimming Coach: Carol Capitani, Texas
Women’s Diving Coach: Anthony Crowder, TCU
I’m sorry but how on earth did Crowder get women’s diving coach of the year over Scoggin? TCU had 0 women’s diving NCAA qualifiers while Texas had 5. The Texas women also won every diving event at Big 12’s. If anything, I could’ve seen him more likely to get men’s coach of the year because TCU had 2 male NCAA qualifiers and won 1 meter at Big 12’s. Though Scoggin is still definitely more deserving, I’m surprised they threw him the pity award on the women’s side because their men have been much more successful.
Leon Marchand was so great that Hobson’s performance sort of snuck by. Glad he’s being recognized.