Courtesy: Colonial Athletic Association
RICHMOND, Va. – For the third time in his illustrious career, Towson senior Jack Saunderson was named the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Swimmer of the Year, while teammate Will Canny became the Tigers’ second diver to ever win CAA Diver of the Year after Alex Cohen in 2014.
William & Mary head coach Matt Crispino earned CAA Swimming Coach of the Year honors for the sixth consecutive year, Towson’s Ryan Hunt was named CAA Diving Coach of the Year, and Paris Raptis of Drexel collected CAA Rookie Swimmer of the Year honors. CAA Rookie Diver of the Year went to UNCW’s Dillon Hall to round out the 2019 CAA swimming & diving postseason honors. The award winners were determined in a vote by the league’s head coaches.
Swimmer of the Year: Jack Saunderson, Towson
Saunderson closes out his career by becoming just the fourth CAA swimmer to win CAA Swimmer of the Year three times and just the third to win the honor in three consecutive years. Only James Madison’s Randy Parker (1986, 1987, 1988), George Mason’s Tom Koucheravy (2005, 2006, 2007), and Old Dominion’s Arni Arnason (2009, 2011, 2012) have also won the honor three times.
Saunderson reached the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships for the third straight season after posting an NCAA ‘A’ cut time of in the 200-yard butterfly at the 2019 CAA Swimming & Diving Championships. He garnered All-American honors in the 200-yard butterfly, finishing seventh in the ‘A’ final with a time of 1:41.06. He was seeded sixth for the ‘A’ final after qualifying for the championship heat earlier in the day with a time of 1:40.44, setting a new CAA all-time record in the event. Saunderson also earned Honorable Mention All-America honors in the 100-yard butterfly. He placed 15th overall in the event with a time of 46.02. He started off the national meet by setting a CAA all-time record in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 1:44.97. Saunderson took gold in all three events at the 2019 CAA Championships.
Diver of the Year: Will Canny, Towson
After being named the 2018 CAA Rookie Diver of the Year, Will Canny came back this season even stronger on the boards. The sophomore was named CAA Diver of the Meet after taking gold in the three-meter dive with a score of 320.70, qualifying for the NCAA Zone A Diving Championship and besting 2018 champion Anthony Musciano by 43 points. He placed second in the one-meter dive with a score of 280.10. At the NCAA Zone A Diving Championship, Canny posted a score of 194.50 in the one-meter dive and 203.05 in the three-meter dive.
Rookie Swimmer of the Year: Paris Raptis, Drexel
Raptis placed second in the 200-yard butterfly, third in the 100-yard butterfly, and 10th in the 200-yard individual medley at the 2019 CAA Championships. He scored 40 individual points at the CAA Championships, the highest among freshmen at the meet. His time of 1:45.26 in the 200-yard butterfly and 47.48 in the 100-yard butterfly set new team and freshmen records. He was the only freshman to set a ‘B’ cut with his time in the 200-yard butterfly.
Rookie Diver of the Year: Dillon Hall, UNCW
Hall took home two medals at the 2019 CAA Championships, placing third in both the one- and three-meter dive. He scored a 277.35 in the final of the three-meter dive and a 253.85 in the one-meter dive. He is the first UNCW diver to win the award since Devin Hall in 2015.
Swimming Coach of the Year: Matt Crispino, William & Mary
Crispino collects his sixth consecutive CAA Swimming Coach of the Year award, tying the CAA record set by UNCW’s Dave Allen from 2008 to 2013. The Tribe captured its fifth consecutive conference title and won a combined ten events, including all five of the relays for the second straight year.
Diving Coach of the Year: Ryan Hunt, Towson
Towson’s first CAA Diving Coach of the Year since Maureen Mead in 2014, Hunt had two divers reach the final of the one- and three-meter dive at the 2019 CAA Championships. Led by CAA Diver of the Meet, Will Canny, the Tigers took home two medals and a fourth- and a fifth-place finish.
The following individuals earned All-CAA accolades based on their performances at the 2019 CAA Swimming & Diving Championship.
50 Freestyle: Colin Wright, William & Mary (19.57); Matthew Essing, Towson (19.82); Jack Doherty, William & Mary (19.91);
100 Freestyle: Colin Wright, William & Mary (42.63); Matthew Essing, Towson (43.96); Sean Cannon, UNCW (44.37)
200 Freestyle: Colin Wright, William & Mary (1:36.10); Christopher Pfuhl, William & Mary (1:37.38); Eric Grimes, William & Mary (1:37.92)
500 Freestyle: Patrick Cobb, Drexel (4:24.77); Carter Kale, William & Mary (4:25.55); Chris Balbo, William & Mary (4:26.39)
1650 Freestyle: Carter Kale, William & Mary (15:22.91); Chris Balbo, William & Mary (15:26.43); Patrick Cobb, Drexel (15:37.60)
100 Butterfly: Jack Saunderson, Towson (46.53); Jack Doherty, William & Mary (46.99); Paris Raptis, William & Mary (47.48)
200 Butterfly: Jack Saunderson, Towson (1:40.63); Paris Raptis, Drexel (1:45.26); Nick McClure, Towson (1:48.21)
100 Breaststroke: Gianmichel D’Alessandro, UNCW (54.40); Ralph Cannarozzi, Drexel (54.41); Devin McNulty, William & Mary (54.41)
200 Breaststroke: Brooks Peterson, William & Mary (1:59.70); Josh Rigsbee, UNCW (1:59.71); Ben Skopic, William & Mary (2:00.09)
100 Backstroke: Colin Demers, William & Mary (48.04); Jason Arthur, Drexel (48.27); Owen Robinson, Towson (48.54)
200 Backstroke: Jason Arthur, Drexel (1:44.87); Jake Kealy, William & Mary (1:45.67); Lee Bradley, William & Mary (1:47.10)
200 Individual Medley: Jack Saunderson, Towson (1:45.46); Ben Skopic, William & Mary (1:46.20); Jason Arthur, Drexel (1:46.73)
400 Individual Medley: Ben Skopic, William & Mary (3:49.71); Chris Balbo, William & Mary (3:51.68); Carter Kale, William & Mary (3:53.73)
200 Freestyle Relay:
William & Mary (Colin Wright, Ian Thompson, Evan Baker, Jack Doherty) | 1:18.91
UNCW (Tom McGovern, Jack Cosgrove, Gianmichel D’Alessandro, Sean Cannon) | 1:19.66
Drexel (Kiran Richardson, Jason Arthur, Alex Flynn, John Scully) | 1:20.63
400 Freestyle Relay:
William & Mary (Colin Wright, Ian Thompson, Christopher Pfuhl, Eric Grimes) | 2:55.92
UNCW (Tom McGovern, Jack Cosgrove, Gianmichel D’Alessandro, Sean Cannon) | 2:58.72
Towson (Ryan Baldino, Matthew Essing, Owen Robinson, Jack Saunderson | 2:58.91
800 Freestyle Relay:
William & Mary (Ben Skopic, Colin Wright, Carter Kale, Eric Grimes) | 6:31.47
Towson (Evan Brophy, Ryan Baldino, Evan Lynch, Jack Saunderson) | 6:34.28
Drexel (Jason Arthur, Patrick Cobb, Kevin Spear, Luke Hanner) | 6:34.33
200 Medley Relay:
William & Mary (Colin Demers, Devin McNulty, Jack Doherty, Ian Thompson) | 1:26.71
Towson (Owen Robinson, Ryan O’Leary, Jack Saunderson, Matthew Essing) | 1:27.39
Drexel (Kiran Richardson, Ralph Cannarozzi, Paris Raptis, John Scully) | 1:28.92
400 Medley Relay:
William & Mary (Colin Demers, Devin McNulty, Jack Doherty, Colin Wright) | 3:11.06
Drexel (Jason Arthur, Ralph Cannarozzi, Paris Raptis, Kiran Richardson) | 3:13.69
Towson (Owen Robinson, Ben Johnston, Jack Saunderson, Matthew Essing) | 3:15.32
One-Meter Dive: Anthony Musciano, Drexel (287.60); Will Canny, Towson (280.10); Dillon Hall, UNCW (253.85)
Three-Meter Dive: Will Canny, Towson (320.70); Anthony Musciano, Drexel (277.85); Dillon Hall, UNCW (277.35)
Love the CAA! All well-deserved awards!