BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Texas A&M freshman Brock Bonetti was named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week, the conference office announced on Tuesday.
Bonetti, from Bakersfield, Calif., was instrumental in the Aggies' 132-104 win over longtime rival SMU last Saturday with an individual and relay first-place finish.
Bonetti literally got the Aggies off to a fast start in the 400-yard medley relay, which was the first race of the day against the Ponies. Bonetti matched his season best with a leadoff 100 backstroke split of 48.31 that gave the Aggies a half-second lead. The Aggies went on to cruise to the win in a season-best time of 3:13.3.
His individual win came in the 200-yard backstroke when he led a 1-2-3 Texas A&M sweep in a time of 1:45.21. He also contributed a third-place finish in the 200 IM with a time of 1:51.84.
The Aggies have now won the SEC Freshman of the Week honor in consecutive weeks. Last week, freshman Mauro Castillo of Zacatecas, Mexico won the honor.
Complete SEC weekly honors (Jan. 20, 2015)
Male Swimmer of the Week
Sam Tierney • Missouri
Senior • Plano, Texas
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.
Male Diver of the Week
Clark Thomas • Missouri
Junior • Olathe, Kan.
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.
Male Freshman of the Week
Brock Bonetti • Texas A&M
Freshman • Bakersfield, Calif.
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.
Female Swimmer of the Week
Victoria Mitchell • South Carolina
Senior • Cary, N.C.
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.
Female Diver of the Week
Patricia Kranz • South Carolina
Senior • Davie, Fla.
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.
Female Freshman of the Week
Taylor Worrell • South Carolina
Freshman • Westampton, N.J.
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.