Courtesy: Virginia Athletics
The University of Virginia finished sixth in the nation at the NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships this year, and so fittingly took four of the five top individual awards on the inaugural VaSID Women’s Swimming & Diving All-State team. The Virginia Sports Information Directors also named two all-state teams in addition to the individual awards, with 32 athletes and 11 relays earning all-state nods.
Leading the way as the State Swimmer of the Year was Cavaliers sophomore Paige Madden, the NCAA silver medalist in the 500 free this year. Madden also finished fifth in the 200 free and 10th in the 200 back at the national championships, as well as swimming on the ninth-place 800 free relay for a total of four All-America honors. She already ranks second in school history in the 500 free, as well as third in each of her other two individual events.
Diver of the Year honors went to her teammate, senior Kylie Towbin. Towbin swept all three diving events at the NCAA Zone Championships, going on to finish a best of 26th on the platform at the national meet. At the ACC Championships, she was the bronze-medalist on the platform, and she also broke the school record on the 3-meter springboard this year. Towbin also holds a share of the Virginia pool record in that event alongside a teammate.
Cavaliers freshman Alexis Wenger was named the State Rookie Swimmer of the Year, after earning three All-American honors in her first collegiate season. Wenger qualified for the championship finals of the 100 breast at the NCAA Championships, where she would finish sixth in the nation, and also swam on Virginia’s eighth-place 200 medley and 400 medley relays. At the ACC Championships, she was the conference silver-medalist in the 100 breast, as well as second as part of the 200 medley relay and third on the 400 medley relay.
Liberty freshman Olivia Robinson was named the State Rookie Diver of the Year, after leading the Flames divers in scoring at the CCSA Championships. She was the conference runner-up in all three events, and also qualified for the Zone Championships in all three disciplines as well with a best finish of 15th on the platform. Robinson was the CCSA Diver of the Year, and after just one season, already holds Liberty’s school record on the platform as well as ranking second on both the 1-meter and 3-meter springboards.
Virginia mentor Todd DeSorbo was named the State Coach of the Year in Women’s Swimming & Diving, one day after also winning that award on the men’s side. DeSorbo led the Cavaliers to a sixth-place at the NCAA Championships, the third-best finish in school history, and totaled 16 All-America honors, including 12 individuals and three relays. At the ACC Championships, Virginia broke the meet record in the 800 free relay, one of three conference championships won, and totaled 33 all-conference awards en route to a runner-up finish.
The Cavaliers also cleaned up on the all-state teams, taking all five relay spots and 13 of the 16 individual spots on the all-state first team. Madden, the swimmer of the year, was named first-team all-state in freestyle, and Towbin earned first-team honors in diving while Wenger, was named first-team in the breaststroke events. Junior Morgan Hill earned a pair of first-team honors, in both freestyle and the butterfly events, and redshirt-junior Megan Moroney was also a two-time winner, in freestyle and backstroke. Sophomore Kyla Valls was tabbed in the freestyle events, as were classmates Emma Seiberlich in the backstroke and Abby Richter in the individual medley. Junior Sydney Dusel was also named first-team all-state in diving, as were freshmen Kaki Christensen, in the breaststroke, and Jessica Nava, in the butterfly. Other first-team all-state honorees included Washington & Lee junior Ali MacQueen in the freestyle, after winning the 50 and 100 free at the ODAC Championships in record fashion. Virginia Tech junior Reka Gyorgy earned All-American honors in the 400 IM for her spot on the all-state first team, and James Madison sophomore Faith Anderson rounded out the first team, after being named the CAA Diver of the Year and winning the 3-meter event at the CAA Championships.
2018-19 VaSID All-State Women’s Swimming & Diving Team
Swimmer of the Year – Paige Madden, UVA
Rookie Swimmer of the Year – Alexis Wenger, UVA
Diver of the Year – Kylie Towbin, UVA
Rookie Diver of the Year – Olivia Robinson, Liberty
Coach of the Year – Todd DeSorbo, UVA
First Team All-State
Free – Morgan Hill, UVA – Jr., Olney, Md.
Free – Paige Madden, UVA – So., Mobile, Ala.
Free – Ali MacQueen, W&L – Jr., Memphis, Tenn.
Free – Megan Moroney, UVA – R-Jr., Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Free – Kyla Valls, UVA – So., Miami, Fla.
Back – Megan Moroney, UVA – R-Jr., Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Back – Emma Seiberlich, UVA – So., Audubon, Pa.
Breast – Alexis Wenger, UVA – Fr., Detroit, Mich.
Breast – Kaki Christensen, UVA – Fr., Darien, Conn.
Fly – Morgan Hill, UVA – Jr., Olney, Md.
Fly – Jessica Nava, UVA – Fr., Charlotte, N.C.
IM – Reka Gyorgy, VT – Jr., Ullo, Hungary
IM – Abby Richter, UVA – So., Henderson, Nev.
Diving – Kylie Towbin, UVA – Sr., New Canaan, Conn.
Diving – Faith Anderson, JMU – So., Palestine, Ohio
Diving – Sydney Dusel, UVA – Jr., Naperville, Ill.
200 Free Relay – Virginia
400 Free Relay – Virginia
800 Free Relay – Virginia
200 Medley Relay – Virginia
400 Medley Relay – Virginia
Second Team All-State
Free – Bonnie Zhang, JMU – Jr., Canberra, Australia
Free – Megan Bull, W&M – So., Hillsborough, N.J.
Free – Joelle Vereb, VT – So., Williamsburg, Va.
Free – Julianna Jones, JMU – So., Lanexa, Va.
Free – Caroline Florence, W&L – Jr., Dallas, Texas
Back – Hannah Gouger, UR – Jr., Cockeysville, Md.
Back – Payton Keiner, Liberty – So., Cincinnati, Ohio
Breast – Emily Hageboeck, W&L – Jr., Charleston, W.Va.
Breast – Gianni Pitto, Liberty – Fr., Lodi, Calif.
Fly – Alicia Finnigan, Liberty – Sr., Sugar Land, Texas
Fly – Morgan Whaley, JMU – Fr., Toano, Va.
IM – Caroline Baber, W&L – Fr., Richmond, Va.
IM – Mikayla Herich, Liberty – R-So., Hebron, Ky.
Diving – Ashlynn Peters, VT – Sr., Cypress, Texas
Diving – Marina Toone, GMU – So., Doylestown, Pa.
Diving – Emily Gross, JMU – So., Fairfax, Va.
200 Free Relay – Washington & Lee
400 Free Relay – James Madison
400 Free Relay – Washington & Lee
800 Free Relay – Liberty
200 Medley Relay – Washington & Lee
400 Medley Relay – Washington & Lee
