April 9, 2012
WALNUT CREEK, Calif.-- Stanford swimming and diving earned three of the four Pac-12 Freshmen of the Year honors, as Kristian Ipsen (men's diving), David Nolan (men's swimming) and Maddy Schaefer (women's swimming) earned top conference honors.
Ipsen closed out an impressive freshman season after winning all 12 regular season 1- and 3-meter events by being an NCAA champion in the 3-meter and an runner-up in the 1-meter. He also won both the Zone 1- and 3-meter and was eighth in his first-ever platform event at the regional championships to qualify for nationals . He closed out his freshman season in tenth in the platform at NCAAs after his two top-two finishes.
Nolan closed out the meet with a school-record and NCAA runner-up finish in the 200 back, after being an NCAA runner-up in the 100 back the night before. He opened up the meet with a third place finish in the 200 IM. He also a part of four top-16 relay teams, earning the freshman seven All-America nods. Nolan was named the Pac-12's Swimmer of the Meet, winning three individual titles and being a part of four relay wins in East Los Angeles. He won titles in the 100 and 200 back, as well as the 200 IM.
Nolan scored 50 points at the NCAA Championships, the tenth Cardinal swimmer to do so at an individual meet. Ipsen scored 44 points.
Schaefer earned four All-America honors in her first collegiate season, earning NCAA titles in the 200 and 400 free relays. Individually, she was eighth in the 100 free and 12th in the 50 free. Schaefer closed out her freshman year as part of the American and school-record setting 400 free relay team. The first time she was part of the school-record 200 free relay team. She also won Pac-12 titles in both relays.
Women's Swimming:
Swimmer of the Year – Caitlin Leverenz, Cal
Freshman/Newcomer of the Year – Maddy Schaefer, Stanford
Coach of the Year – Teri McKeever, Cal
Men's Swimming:
Swimmer of the Year – Tom Shields, Cal
Freshman/Newcomer of the Yea – David Nolan, Stanford
Coach of the Year – David Durden, Cal
Women's Diving:
Diver of the Year – Victoria Ishimatsu, USC
Freshman/Newcomer of the Year – Emma Ivory-Ganja, UCLA
Coach of the Year – Hongping Li, USC
Men's Diving:
Diver of the Year – Ben Grado, Arizona
Freshman/Newcomer of the Year – Kristian Ipsen, Stanford
Coach of the Year – Omar Ojeda, Arizona