BATON ROUGE — The LSU swimming and diving programs celebrated the 2010-11 season and honored several standout performers at their annual Awards Banquet Saturday in the Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium.
After detailing the programs’ impressive accomplishments during the season, co-head coaches Doug Shaffer and David Geyer recognized Lady Tiger All-Americans Jane Trepp, Amanda Kendall, Samantha Goates, Kannon Betzen and Jana Ruimerman and men’s All-Americans Hannes Heyl and Craig Hamilton.
The coaching staff then handed out several awards to the top performers and those who exhibited great leadership and exceptional character in competition as well as the classroom and community.
Trepp and Heyl were the recipients of the Most Outstanding Athlete Award.
LSU’s female nominee for the prestigious McWhorter Postgraduate Scholarship, Trepp earned NCAA first-team All-America honors in all three of her individual races at the 2011 NCAA Championships and capped off her phenomenal career with a total of 10 All-America honors
An All-SEC First-Team performer, Trepp also became the first LSU women’s swimmer since 1997 to win an SEC individual championship, breaking the conference record in the 100-yard breaststroke in February, and set three more Lady Tiger records in 2010-11.
“For the past four-plus years that I’ve known Jane, she has probably done more for our program than anyone will ever recognize,” Geyer said. “It’s been phenomenal to work with her.”
Heyl raced to a seventh-place finish in the 100 butterfly at NCAA’s to capture his first career first-team All-America honor and conclude his career as a nine-time All-American. The German was also LSU’s top performer on the men’s side at SEC’s, claiming bronze in the 100 fly.
Furthermore, Heyl was named the men’s “Hammer” Award recipient, which is given to an athlete who demonstrates exceptional character in competition by putting the team first in all situations.
“Hannes’ contribution to this program over the past four years has been phenomenal,” Geyer said. “His efforts culminated with a school-record in the 100 fly, beating his fellow countryman Christoph Lubenau’s school record and earning first-team All-America honors, which was a great way to finish out his career.”
Kendall was the Lady Tigers’ recipient of the Hammer Award in addition to earning the Most Improved Award. A sophomore from Fairfax, Va., Kendall burst onto the scene with a sensational performance at the SEC Championships where she shattered two program records and won four medals.
The All-SEC Second-Team performer also delivered All-America finishes in all three of her events at NCAA’s, including first-team honors in the 100 fly.
Sophomore Sean Roddy was tabbed for the Most Improved Award on the men’s team. Roddy qualified for the championship final of the 100 breast at SEC’s with a program top-10 time and also advanced to the consolation final of the 200 breast with a personal best and program top-10 clocking.
SEC All-Freshmen Team performers Torrey Bussey and Daniel Helm were given the Most Outstanding Newcomer Award.
Bussey qualified individually for the NCAA Championships, broke a pair of program records in the 200 individual medley and 200 breaststroke and reached the championship final of both events at SEC’s, while also swimming to the second-fastest mark in school history in the 100 breast. Helm took fifth overall in the men’s three-meter diving competition at SEC’s, recorded program top-10 scores in all three diving events and held the team’s top marks in the one-meter and platform.
“Daniel is a hard-worker, a tremendous competitor and established himself as one of the premier divers in the SEC in his first year,” Shaffer said.
“Torrey is a driven athlete who established herself as one of the nation’s elite. Not only did she break two school records, earn SEC All-Freshmen Team recognition and qualify for the NCAA Championships, but she is LSU’s highest finisher in the 200 individual medley at NCAA’s since 1997 and the first athlete to compete in the 200 breast at NCAA’s since 2003.”
Senior co-captains Clint Hallum and Shanna Spears were named the recipients of the “Stripes” Award, which is given to athletes who exhibit outstanding leadership in the pool, weight room, classroom and community.
Hallum and Spears, the teams’ representatives on LSU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council, spearheaded the squads’ efforts in the Baton Rouge community and contributed significantly to LSU’s “Geaux Givers” service initiative.
All 12 seniors from the 2010-11 teams addressed the audience toward the end of the ceremony, sharing their favorite stories from the past four years, thanking those who had made a tremendous impact on their careers and offering words of encouragement to the underclassmen who will represent the programs for years to come.
The banquet concluded with a video presentation, showcasing the best snapshots of the season.