BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Southeastern Conference announced the 2002 swimming and diving awards on Thursday after a vote by the league’s 12 head coaches.
Head diving coach Scott Reich was named the SEC Women’s Diving Coach of the Year for the third-straight season, and the fourth time in his career. He also won the honor in 1983. Junior Barb Gorst was named the Female Diver of the Year after winning the platform competition at the 2002 SEC Championships back in February at Fayetteville, Ark.
Gorst won the event with a score of 469.45 to lead LSU to a sweep of the competition. Holly Winters and Jamie Watkins finished second and third behind Gorst in the event. It marks the second-consecutive season that an LSU diver has captured the award, as Watkins won the honor last season.
Clayton Moss of Kentucky was named Male Diver of the Year and Kentucky coach Mike Lyden was named the Men’s Diving Coach of the Year. Auburn took home three awards, as David Marsh was named Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year, Maggie Bowen won the Female Swimmer of the Year honor, and Margaret Hoelzer was named the Female Freshman Swimmer of the Year award. Auburn won their first women’s NCAA Championship last month.
Tennessee’s Lauren McCalley was named Freshman Diver of the Year on the women’s side, while Alabama’s Stewart Smith and Tennessee’s Phillip Jones shared the Freshman Diver of the Year honor. Greg Troy of Florida was named the Men’s Swimming Coach of the year and Adam Sioui of Florida was named the Freshman Swimmer of the Year.