BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Texas A&M head women's coach Steve Bultman was named the 2017 Southeastern Conference Women's Swimming Coach of the Year and senior Sarah Gibson received the Commissioner's Trophy and Co-Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors, the conference office announced on Thursday.
Under Bultman's direction, the Aggies won the SEC team title for a second straight year and went on to place third at the NCAA Championships, which marks the highest national finish in program history. For Bultman, it was the 15th time that he been honored as a conference coach of the year or coach of the meet. It was his second SEC Coach of the Year honor after earning the award in 2014.
Senior Sarah Gibson earned the Commissioner's Trophy, which is given to the high point scorer at the SEC Championships. Gibson, from San Antonio, Texas, won the maximum three individual events (500 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly) and also swam on four relays, including two that won SEC crowns (800 free relay and 400 medley relay). Additionally, Gibson, who carries a perfect 4.0 grade point average while pursuing a degree in biomedical engineering, shared the SEC's Scholar-Athlete of the Year award with Chantal Van Landeghem of Georgia.
Also being honored by the SEC were 14 Texas A&M swimmers and divers that earned first- or second-team All-SEC honors.
Being named to the first team (first-place finish in individual or relay event) were:
Lisa Bratton – 400 medley relay
Jorie Caneta – 400 medley relay
Béryl Gastaldello – 400 medley relay
Sarah Gibson – 500 free, 100/200 butterfly, 800 free relay, 400 medley relay
Sydney Pickrem – 400 IM, 200 breast, 800 free relay
Katie Portz – 800 free relay
Claire Rasmus – 800 free relay
Being named to the second team (second- or third-place finish in individual or relay event) were:
Bethany Galat – 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 breaststroke,
Madison Hudkins – 3m dive
Alais Kalonji – platform dive
Lexie Lupton – 200 medley relay
Kristin Malone – 400 free relay
Ashley McGregor – 200 breaststroke
Amy Miller – 400 free relay
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Complete SEC Women's Swimming & Diving Awards:
Female Swimmer of the Year: Olivia Smoliga, Georgia
Female Freshman Swimmer of the Year: Asia Seidt, Kentucky
Women's Swimming Coach of the Year: Steve Bultman, Texas A&M
Female Diver of the Year: Lauren Reedy, Missouri
Female Freshman Diver of the Year: Allison Maillard, Auburn
Women's Diving Coach of the Year: Todd Sherritt, South Carolina
Co-Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year: Chantal Van Landeghem, Georgia & Sarah Gibson, Texas A&M
Commissioner's Trophy: Sarah Gibson, Texas A&M
All-SEC First Team (SEC winners)
Ashley Neidigh, Auburn
Chelsea Britt, Georgia
Veronica Burchill, Georgia
Emily Cameron, Georgia
Meghan Raab, Georgia
Olivia Smoliga, Georgia
Chantal Van Landeghem, Georgia
Geena Freriks, Kentucky
Asia Seidt, Kentucky
Lauren Reedy, Missouri
Allyson Nied, South Carolina
Julia Vincent, South Carolina
Madeline Banic, Tennessee
Meghan Small, Tennessee
Lisa Bratton, Texas A&M
Jorie Caneta, Texas A&M
Béryl Gastaldello, Texas A&M
Sarah Gibson, Texas A&M
Sydney Pickrem, Texas A&M
Katie Portz, Texas A&M
Claire Rasmus, Texas A&M
Second-Team (second- or third-place at SEC)
Bridget Blood, Alabama
Bailey Scott, Alabama
Ashton Ellzey, Auburn
Erin Falconer, Auburn
Julie Meynen, Auburn
Allyx Purcell, Auburn
Alyssa Tetzloff, Auburn
Autumn Finke, Florida
Megan Kingsley, Georgia
Meryn McCann, Georgia
Kylie Stewart, Georgia
Rachel Zilinskas, Georgia
Kendal Casey, Kentucky
Ali Galyer, Kentucky
Danielle Galyer, Kentucky
Rebecca Hamperian, Kentucky
Madison Winstead, Kentucky
Lizzie Cui, LSU
Hannah Stevens, Missouri
Erika Brown, Tennessee
Colleen Callahan, Tennessee
Rachel Rubadue, Tennessee
Kira Toussaint, Tennessee
Bethany Galat, Texas A&M
Madison Hudkins, Texas A&M
Alais Kalonji, Texas A&M
Lexie Lupton, Texas A&M
Kristin Malone, Texas A&M
Ashley McGregor, Texas A&M
Amy Miller, Texas A&M
All-Freshman Team:
Ayumi Macias, Arkansas
Alison Maillard, Auburn
Julie Meynen, Auburn
Emma Ball, Florida
Veronica Burchill, Georgia
Meryn McCann, Georgia
Ali Galyer, Kentucky
Asia Seidt, Kentucky
Madison Winstead, Kentucky
Albury Higgs, South Carolina
Spence Atkins, Tennessee
Meghan Small, Tennessee
Under Bultman's direction, the Aggies won the SEC team title for a second straight year and went on to place third at the NCAA Championships, which marks the highest national finish in program history. For Bultman, it was the 15th time that he been honored as a conference coach of the year or coach of the meet. It was his second SEC Coach of the Year honor after earning the award in 2014.
Senior Sarah Gibson earned the Commissioner's Trophy, which is given to the high point scorer at the SEC Championships. Gibson, from San Antonio, Texas, won the maximum three individual events (500 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly) and also swam on four relays, including two that won SEC crowns (800 free relay and 400 medley relay). Additionally, Gibson, who carries a perfect 4.0 grade point average while pursuing a degree in biomedical engineering, shared the SEC's Scholar-Athlete of the Year award with Chantal Van Landeghem of Georgia.
Also being honored by the SEC were 14 Texas A&M swimmers and divers that earned first- or second-team All-SEC honors.
Being named to the first team (first-place finish in individual or relay event) were:
Lisa Bratton – 400 medley relay
Jorie Caneta – 400 medley relay
Béryl Gastaldello – 400 medley relay
Sarah Gibson – 500 free, 100/200 butterfly, 800 free relay, 400 medley relay
Sydney Pickrem – 400 IM, 200 breast, 800 free relay
Katie Portz – 800 free relay
Claire Rasmus – 800 free relay
Being named to the second team (second- or third-place finish in individual or relay event) were:
Bethany Galat – 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 breaststroke,
Madison Hudkins – 3m dive
Alais Kalonji – platform dive
Lexie Lupton – 200 medley relay
Kristin Malone – 400 free relay
Ashley McGregor – 200 breaststroke
Amy Miller – 400 free relay
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Complete SEC Women's Swimming & Diving Awards:
Female Swimmer of the Year: Olivia Smoliga, Georgia
Female Freshman Swimmer of the Year: Asia Seidt, Kentucky
Women's Swimming Coach of the Year: Steve Bultman, Texas A&M
Female Diver of the Year: Lauren Reedy, Missouri
Female Freshman Diver of the Year: Allison Maillard, Auburn
Women's Diving Coach of the Year: Todd Sherritt, South Carolina
Co-Female Scholar-Athletes of the Year: Chantal Van Landeghem, Georgia & Sarah Gibson, Texas A&M
Commissioner's Trophy: Sarah Gibson, Texas A&M
All-SEC First Team (SEC winners)
Ashley Neidigh, Auburn
Chelsea Britt, Georgia
Veronica Burchill, Georgia
Emily Cameron, Georgia
Meghan Raab, Georgia
Olivia Smoliga, Georgia
Chantal Van Landeghem, Georgia
Geena Freriks, Kentucky
Asia Seidt, Kentucky
Lauren Reedy, Missouri
Allyson Nied, South Carolina
Julia Vincent, South Carolina
Madeline Banic, Tennessee
Meghan Small, Tennessee
Lisa Bratton, Texas A&M
Jorie Caneta, Texas A&M
Béryl Gastaldello, Texas A&M
Sarah Gibson, Texas A&M
Sydney Pickrem, Texas A&M
Katie Portz, Texas A&M
Claire Rasmus, Texas A&M
Second-Team (second- or third-place at SEC)
Bridget Blood, Alabama
Bailey Scott, Alabama
Ashton Ellzey, Auburn
Erin Falconer, Auburn
Julie Meynen, Auburn
Allyx Purcell, Auburn
Alyssa Tetzloff, Auburn
Autumn Finke, Florida
Megan Kingsley, Georgia
Meryn McCann, Georgia
Kylie Stewart, Georgia
Rachel Zilinskas, Georgia
Kendal Casey, Kentucky
Ali Galyer, Kentucky
Danielle Galyer, Kentucky
Rebecca Hamperian, Kentucky
Madison Winstead, Kentucky
Lizzie Cui, LSU
Hannah Stevens, Missouri
Erika Brown, Tennessee
Colleen Callahan, Tennessee
Rachel Rubadue, Tennessee
Kira Toussaint, Tennessee
Bethany Galat, Texas A&M
Madison Hudkins, Texas A&M
Alais Kalonji, Texas A&M
Lexie Lupton, Texas A&M
Kristin Malone, Texas A&M
Ashley McGregor, Texas A&M
Amy Miller, Texas A&M
All-Freshman Team:
Ayumi Macias, Arkansas
Alison Maillard, Auburn
Julie Meynen, Auburn
Emma Ball, Florida
Veronica Burchill, Georgia
Meryn McCann, Georgia
Ali Galyer, Kentucky
Asia Seidt, Kentucky
Madison Winstead, Kentucky
Albury Higgs, South Carolina
Spence Atkins, Tennessee
Meghan Small, Tennessee