Swim and Dive hands out yearly awards, names captains

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – After the completion of another outstanding season, the Bryant University swimming and diving teams handed out their year-end awards and announced team captains for the upcoming season at their annual banquet last week.

Head coach Katie Cameron was proud to announce that rising seniors Joshua Bjornberg (Wallingford, Conn.), Andrew Neggia (Ramsey, N.J.) and Robert Beauchemin (Holliston, Mass.) have been named captains for the men's team, while rising seniors Kelley Murphy (Salisbury, Md.), Jamie Schaefer (Durham, N.C.) and Lauren Doerrman (Oley, Pa.) will captain the women's team.

Valeria Watson (Mexico City, Mexico) and Colin Curtin (Wethersfield, Conn.) were took home Rookie of the Year honors. Watson took home eight first-place finishes on the year and placed fifth in the 200 back at the NEC Championships. Curtin capped a great freshman year with a school-record performance in the 500 at the MAAC Championships. He earned five first-place finishes on the year.

Julia Messina (Canandaigua, N.Y.) and Zachary Hannon (Marlborough, Conn.) were named Most Improved. Messina was Bryant's top breaststroker for most of the season and went on to earn a silver medal at the NEC Championships. Hannon had a breakout year for the Bulldogs in the 50 free, 100 free and 100 fly. He earned five first-place finishes on the year.

Senior Graham Beck (Danvers, Mass.) and freshman Nicole Salzano (Elmwood Park, N.J.) were named the high point scorers and the team MVPs after recording the most points during the season. Beck earned 11 first-place finishes on the year and finished his career with a silver medal in the 200 breast at the MAAC Championships. Salzano earned 12 first-place finishes, finished second 10 other times and finaled in the 100 back, 200 back and 500 free at the NEC Championships.

Senior Jennifer Leckie (Corbeil, Ont.) was awarded the Kelly Hill Award. The award is not given out every year but is given out to a swimmer when they have earned it. Leckie was an outstanding teammate and never backed down in helping the Bulldogs rise up the NEC standings.

Senior Caitlin Hanahoe (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and sophomore Gary Enoksen (Islip, N.Y.) were named the Teammates of the Year. Two of the hardest workers in the pool, Hanahoe and Enoksen led by example and were there to cheer on their teammates in each and every event.

Finally, senior Mara Valenzuela (Bridgewater, N.J.) and freshman Ben Schulte (Mermaid Beach, Australia) were named the Bulldog Award winners. Valenzuela was a two-time captain and helped the 400 medley relay and the 800 free relay earn bronze medals this past winter. Schulte put together the greatest season for a male swimmer in program history this year. He won three events at the MAAC Championships and was named the MAAC Swimmer of the Meet, becoming the first Bulldog to earn that honor. Schulte also qualified for the NCAA "B" cut twice during the MAACs.