COLLEGE STATION, Texas --- The Texas A&M women's swimming and diving team closed out the 2015-16 school year with a celebration of its first Southeastern Conference Championship and fourth consecutive top four NCAA finish at the annual team banquet at the Hall of Champions at Kyle Field on Saturday.
Under the direction of head coach Steve Bultman, assistant coach Tanica Jamison and diving coach Jay Lerew, the Aggies snapped the Georgia Bulldogs' six-year stranglehold on the SEC team title with their upset victory in Columbia, Mo. The Aggies went on to match the program's highest NCAA finish by winning the fourth-place trophy at the NCAA Championships in Atlanta, Ga.
Highlighting the afternoon's festivities were the announcement of the Aggies' Team MVPs -- swimmers Lisa Bratton and Sarah Gibson and diver Madison Hudkins.
Bratton, a sophomore from Richland, Wash., had a banner season after becoming the third Aggie to qualify for three "A" finals at the same NCAA Championship meet, winning a pair of SEC titles and lowering her own school record in the 200-yard backstroke. At NCAAs, Bratton was fourth in the 200 back, tied for fifth in the 200 IM and seventh in the 400 IM. At the SEC meet, Bratton set the 200 back school record with a time of 1:50.64 and grabbed wins in the 200 back and the 200 IM.
Gibson, a junior from San Antonio, had a breakout season that saw her emerge as a SEC Champion and one of the nation's top butterflyers. Gibson was the SEC Champion and NCAA runner-up in the 100-yard butterfly, while setting the school record in the race with a 50.61 at the NCAA Championships. A workhorse at the NCAA meet, Gibson was second in the 100 fly, tied for fifth in the 200 fly and ninth in the 500 free, and she swam legs on three relays that finished in the top five. She also set a school record in the 200 free with a leadoff leg of 1:43.41 and helped the 400 free relay take down one of the oldest school records at Texas A&M.
Hudkins, a junior from Murrieta, Calif., was the women's diving MVP for the second straight year after earning honorable mention All-America honors for the first time in her career. Hudkins was also a three-time SEC Diver of the Week while winning 18 of 20 possible springboard competitions during the regular season.
Complete Women's Team Honors
Team MVP:
Lisa Bratton (Richland, Wash.), swimmer
Sarah Gibson (San Antonio, Texas), swimmer
Madison Hudkins (Murrieta, Calif.) diver
Most Improved Award:
Alais Kalonji (Rennes, France), diver
Claire Rasmus (New Orleans, La.), swimmer
Aggie Heart Award in memory of Bob Stallings:
Raena Eldridge (Rockwall, Texas), swimmer
Jody Tanner-Hansen Optimist Award:
Claire Brandt (Dallas, Texas), swimmer
Iron Woman Sports Performance Award:
Jorie Caneta (Bakersfield, Calif.), swimmer
2016-17 Team Captains:
Lisa Bratton, Julia Cook, Esther Gonzalez and Madison Hudkins
Under the direction of head coach Steve Bultman, assistant coach Tanica Jamison and diving coach Jay Lerew, the Aggies snapped the Georgia Bulldogs' six-year stranglehold on the SEC team title with their upset victory in Columbia, Mo. The Aggies went on to match the program's highest NCAA finish by winning the fourth-place trophy at the NCAA Championships in Atlanta, Ga.
Highlighting the afternoon's festivities were the announcement of the Aggies' Team MVPs -- swimmers Lisa Bratton and Sarah Gibson and diver Madison Hudkins.
Bratton, a sophomore from Richland, Wash., had a banner season after becoming the third Aggie to qualify for three "A" finals at the same NCAA Championship meet, winning a pair of SEC titles and lowering her own school record in the 200-yard backstroke. At NCAAs, Bratton was fourth in the 200 back, tied for fifth in the 200 IM and seventh in the 400 IM. At the SEC meet, Bratton set the 200 back school record with a time of 1:50.64 and grabbed wins in the 200 back and the 200 IM.
Gibson, a junior from San Antonio, had a breakout season that saw her emerge as a SEC Champion and one of the nation's top butterflyers. Gibson was the SEC Champion and NCAA runner-up in the 100-yard butterfly, while setting the school record in the race with a 50.61 at the NCAA Championships. A workhorse at the NCAA meet, Gibson was second in the 100 fly, tied for fifth in the 200 fly and ninth in the 500 free, and she swam legs on three relays that finished in the top five. She also set a school record in the 200 free with a leadoff leg of 1:43.41 and helped the 400 free relay take down one of the oldest school records at Texas A&M.
Hudkins, a junior from Murrieta, Calif., was the women's diving MVP for the second straight year after earning honorable mention All-America honors for the first time in her career. Hudkins was also a three-time SEC Diver of the Week while winning 18 of 20 possible springboard competitions during the regular season.
Complete Women's Team Honors
Team MVP:
Lisa Bratton (Richland, Wash.), swimmer
Sarah Gibson (San Antonio, Texas), swimmer
Madison Hudkins (Murrieta, Calif.) diver
Most Improved Award:
Alais Kalonji (Rennes, France), diver
Claire Rasmus (New Orleans, La.), swimmer
Aggie Heart Award in memory of Bob Stallings:
Raena Eldridge (Rockwall, Texas), swimmer
Jody Tanner-Hansen Optimist Award:
Claire Brandt (Dallas, Texas), swimmer
Iron Woman Sports Performance Award:
Jorie Caneta (Bakersfield, Calif.), swimmer
2016-17 Team Captains:
Lisa Bratton, Julia Cook, Esther Gonzalez and Madison Hudkins