ATLANTA, Georgia, September 30. DAVID Boudia (Noblesville, Ind.) was honored as USA Diving's Athlete of the Year at the United States Aquatic Sports awards banquet Saturday night.
The 2008 Olympian won three national championships and five international medals throughout the year. Boudia, 19, started off the season with a bronze medal on 10-meter at the FINA World Cup and later won silver on that same event at a FINA World Series meet. He also won two silvers and a bronze in synchronized 10-meter in World Series and Grand Prix competition with Thomas Finchum. He set an American record on platform en route to winning the U.S. Olympic Team Trials after recording perfect scores of more than 100 points apiece on back-to-back dives in the finals. At the Olympic Games, the first-time Olympian finished 10 th in the men's platform finals and was fifth in synchronized 10-meter.
Bob Gunter of The Woodlands Diving Academy received the Moose Moss Age Group Coach of the Year award for the third consecutive in year. His team won its fourth straight title at the Speedo Junior National Championships, where his divers won six individual national titles and added six silver medals. Two of his divers won silver medals at the FINA Junior Diving World Championships in Germany earlier this month.
Indiana University coach Jeff Huber won the Mike Peppe Award, presented to the outstanding senior diving coach, for the eighth time in his career and first since 2004. Indiana Diving won the team title at the Kaiser Permanente National Championships, where two of his divers won national championships and six others finished in the top six on various events. Among those divers was 2008 Olympian Christina Loukas, marking the third consecutive Olympics that Huber has coached a diver at the Games.
1964 Olympic silver medalist Frank Gorman was awarded the Phil Boggs award, which honors those who have achieved individual excellence in diving and have given back a part of themselves to assure the sport's continuation and success.
Doris Miller, a member of USA Diving's Performance Enhancement Team, was honored with the Glenn McCormick Award, presented to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the sport of diving.
The Whosam Inc. award went to Thomas Finchum. Presented by Dr. Sammy Lee, the award recognizes commitment to excellence and dedication to the highest physical, mental and spiritual ideals.
Local Diving Association Awards were presented to Sally Hansell and Anneliese Tuymer of the Florida Gold Coast Association and Robbin Ward of the Michigan Association.
Special thanks to USA Diving for contributing this report.