Best Newcomer No Surprise

STANFORD, Calif. -- Stanford freshman Simone Manuel has been named the Pac-12 Women’s Swimming Freshman/Newcomer of the Year, the conference office announced Wednesday. California’s Missy Franklin, the conference swimmer of the year, and Teri McKeever, the coach of the year, rounded out the Pac-12’s swimming awards.

Manuel earns the award after winning individual national titles in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle, becoming the first Cardinal swimmer to win both events in the same year since Jenny Thompson in 1993. A member of two NCAA winning relay teams, she helped the 400 free relay and 400-yard medley relay squads set American records.

The Sugar Land, Texas, native was a seven-time All-American, helping Stanford to third place overall at the NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships. She also added two individual titles at the Pac-12 Championships. 

Manuel was part of the historic 100 free that saw African-American swimmers take the top three spots. Stanford teammate Lia Neal was in second and Florida’s Natalie Hinds finished third.

Manuel was announced as a finalist for the Honda Sports Award for swimming and diving along with Franklin, Leah Smith of Virginia and Louisville’s Kelsi Worrell. The Honda Sports Award is presented annually by the Collegiate Women Sports Awards to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics”.

Pac-12 Women’s Swimming and Diving Awards
Swimmer of the Year - Missy Franklin, California
Swimming Freshman/Newcomer of the Year - Simone Manuel, Stanford
Swimming Coach of the Year - Teri McKeever, California
Diver of the Year - Samantha Pickens, Arizona
Diving Freshman/Newcomer of the Year - Maria Polyakova, UCLA
Diving Coach of the Year - Omar Ojeda, Arizona