COLUMBIA – Missouri senior Sam Tierney and South Carolina senior Victoria Mitchell were named the Male and Female Swimmers of the Week by the Southeastern Conference, as each were impressive in last weekend’s dual meet between Missouri and South Carolina swimming teams. Also named to conference honors were divers Clark Thomas of Missouri and Patricia Kranz of South Carolina, as well as freshmen Brock Bonetti of Texas A&M and Taylor Worrell of South Carolina.
SEC Male Swimmer of the Week: Sam Tierney
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Tierney helped Mizzou defeat South Carolina after winning two individual events and two relays in the SEC dual on Jan. 17. He swept the breaststroke events with times of 53.95 in the 100 and 1:57.99 in the 200. Tierney won the 100 breast by almost a second and a half and the 200 breast by a little over two seconds. He was also part of Mizzou’s winning 200 medley relay (1:30.78) and 400 free relay (3:01.18) teams. Tierney currently ranks first in the nation in the 100 breast and third in the 200 breast.
SEC Female Swimmer of the Week: Victoria Mitchell
Mitchell helped lead the South Carolina women to their first SEC win of the season and their first dual meet victory over Missouri in program history. She recorded her fifth win this season in the 1000 freestyle. Mitchell also finished in first place in the 200 backstroke and second in the 400 IM.
SEC Male Diver of the Week: Clark Thomas
Thomas swept the 1-meter and 3-meter springboards to help Mizzou post a 181-119 win over SEC foe South Carolina on Jan. 17. The Olathe, Kan., native took first on 1-meter after a score of 355.08 and placed first on 3-meter with a six-dive tally of 382.05. He won both boards took first on 1-meter after a score of 355.08 and placed first on 3-meter with a six-dive tally of 382.05. Thomas won both boards by over 20 points, including almost a 40-point cushion on the 3-meter. The wins mark the sixth and fifth wins on 1-meter and 3-meter, respectively, for him this season.
SEC Female Diver of the Week: Patricia Kranz
Kranz won both boards to help lead the South Carolina women to their first win of the season and their first dual meet victory over Missouri in program history. She tallied her sixth win in the one-meter, and her score of 325.80 in the three-meter is her second highest score this season.
SEC Male Freshman of the Week: Brock Bonetti
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Bonetti was part of Texas A&M’s 1-2-3 sweeps of SMU in the 200 backstroke and the 200 IM. He led the way with a 200 backstroke win in 1:45.21, while nailing down the third spot in the 200 IM with a time of 1:51.84. Bonetti led off the Aggies’ winning 400 medley relay with a season-best and NCAA “B” cut time of 48.31.
SEC Female Freshman of the Week: Taylor Worrell
Worrell notched her first collegiate win in the 500 freestyle with her personal record time of (4:53.88), which is the third fastest time on the team this season. She swam on the first-place 400 freestyle relay team that clinched the win for the women.