Penn State redshirt senior Shane Ryan was named Big Ten Male Swimmer of the Week Wednesday. The award marked the fourth time that the Irish Olympian has been recognized this season, half the times the award has been handed out. Other winners include U.S. Olympian Steele Johnson winning Male Diver of the Week and Vera Koprivova winning Female Swimmer of the Week.
Men’s Swimmer of the Week
Shane Ryan, Penn State
Sr. – Havertown, Pa. – Haverford
- Collected six top-five finishes at the Ohio State Fall Invitational, including first-place finishes in the 50-yard freestyle (19.68), the 100-yard backstroke (46.23) and the 100-yard freestyle (42.49)
- Ranks among the top 10 in the NCAA in the 100-yard backstroke (2nd), 100-yard freestyle (5th) and 50-yard freestyle (9th) – the only swimmer in the NCAA to rank in the top 10 for all three events
- Contributed to a second-place mark in the 800-yard freestyle relay (6:28.11) and a third-place finish in the 400-yard medley relay (3:12.98)
- Recorded NCAA provisional qualifying times in all three of his individual events
- Earns his sixth career Swimmer of the Week honor
- Last Penn State Swimmer of the Week: Shane Ryan (Nov. 9, 2016)
Men’s Diver of the Week
Steele Johnson, Purdue
So. – Carmel, Indiana – Laurel Springs
- Swept the diving events at the House of Champions Invitational, scoring 428.70 in the one-meter event and 437.15 in the three-meter event
- Averaged 72.85 points per dive on the three-meter springboard and 71.45 points per dive on the one-meter springboard
- The 2015-16 Academic All-Big Ten honoree recorded NCAA Zone qualifying marks in both events
- Earns his 10th Diver of the Week award
- Last Purdue Diver of the Week: Steele Johnson (Nov. 9, 2016)
Men’s Freshman of the Wee
Kaelan Freund, Penn State
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada – Chinook
- Placed fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke (54.75) and won the B-final in the 200-yard breaststroke (1:59.65) at the Ohio State Fall Invitational
- Recorded NCAA provisional qualifying times in the 100-yard breaststroke (54.75) and the 200-yard breaststroke (1:59.65)
- Contributed to third- and fifth-place marks in the 400-yard medley relay (3:12.98) and the 200-yard medley relay (1:28.43), respectively
- Earns his first career Freshman of the Week honor
- Last Penn State Freshman of the Week: Hector Garcia Boissier (Nov. 18, 2015)
Women’s Swimmer of the Week
Vera Koprivova, Rutgers
So. – Prerov, JC, Czech Republic
- Collected four first-place finishes at the Frank Elm Invitational, including a RU Aquatics Center pool record in the 400-yard medley relay (3:40.77)
- Recorded NCAA “B” standard qualifying times and first-place finishes in the 100-yard backstroke (53.99), 200-yard backstroke (1:55.91) and 400-yard individual medley (4:18.85)
- Contributed to a first-place finish in the 400-yard medley relay (3:40.77) and a second-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay (1:41.47)
- Earns her first career Big Ten Swimmer of the Week award
- Last Rutgers Swimmer of the Week: Joanna Wu (Oct. 7, 2015)
Women’s Diver of the Week
Yu Zhou, Minnesota
Sr. – Wuhan, China – Beijing College of Sports
- Won the three-meter (334.00) diving event and placed second in the one-meter springboard (328.00) at the House of Champions Invitational
- Recorded NCAA Zone qualifying scores in both events
- 2015-16 Academic All-Big Ten honoree
- Earns her 13th career Diver of the Week honor
- Last Minnesota Diver of the Week: Yu Zhou (Oct. 19, 2016)
Women’s Freshman of the Week
Valerie Gruest Slowing, Northwestern
Guatemala – Colegio Valle Verde
- Collected five top-five finishes at the TYR Invitational, including Norris Aquatics Center pool record times in the 500-yard freestyle (4:40.58) and the 1,650-yard freestyle (16:01.28)
- Touched first in the 500-yard freestyle (4:40.58) and the 1,650-yard freestyle (16:01.28), and finished second in the 200-yard butterfly (1:59.27), recording NCAA “B” standard qualifying times in all three events
- Contributed to first-place finishes in the 400-yard medley relay (3:44.13) and the 800-yard freestyle relay (7:19.64)
- Earns her first Freshman of the Week award
- Last Northwestern Freshman of the Week: Olivia Rosendahl (Jan. 27, 2016)
Press releases courtesy of the Big Ten.
