Simon Diefenthal Season 2008-09
SENIOR SEASON (2011-12)
Posted the fastest 200 back times in the program in all four years of competition … One of the senior leaders that helped guide the men’s team to a fifth place finish at the SEC Championships … Competed in every dual meet, the Tennessee Invitational and the SEC Championships … Ends his LSU career with the program’s second fastest 200 back mark (1:44.95) and the fourth lowest 100 back time (48.11) … Captured the bonus final of the 200 back (1:45.06) and registered a 14th place finish in the 100 back (48.69) at the conference meet … Carved out a fifth place finish in the 100 back (49.62) and a seventh place finish in the 200 back (1:48.94) at the Tennessee Invitational … Touched the wall first in the 100 back (50.87) and finished in third in the 200 back (1:51.25) against Florida State … Nabbed second in the 100 back (50.67) against Alabama … Earned his fourth varsity letter.
JUNIOR SEASON (2010-11)
LSU’s top 200 backstroker for the third straight year who also made tremendous strides in the 100 back … Posted personal bests and top-five program times in both backstroke races … Competed in every dual meet, Cougar Classic Invitational and SEC Championships … Swam to a pair of top-16 finishes in the backstroke races at SEC’s … Delivered 10th in the 200 back with the second-fastest time in program history, 1:44.95 … Recorded 11th in the 100 back with a top-five LSU mark of 48.11 … Also placed 33rd in the 50 free (21.06) … Won the 200 back at the Cougar Classic (1:47.34) and took second in the 100 back (50.01) … Emerged victorious in the 100 back in a win over American … Raced to second-place in the 200 back in a road victory over Alabama … Swam to second in the 200 back and third in the 100 back in a home win over Incarnate Word … Captured third in both backstroke events against Florida State … Earned his third varsity letter.
SOPHOMORE SEASON (2009-10)
Proved to be the team’s top 200-yard backstroker for the second straight season … Competed in every dual meet, Houston’s Cougar Classic Invitational and SEC Championships … Earned 13th in the 200 back at SEC’s with a mark of 1:46.81 … Advanced to the ‘B’ final of that race with the fourth-fastest mark in school history, 1:46.26 … Barely missed a second swim in the 100 back, placing 17th with the seventh-fastest mark all-time at LSU, 49.28 … Also finished 33rd in the 200 free (1:42.36) … Swam to a runner-up finish in the 200 back at the Cougar Classic and took sixth in the 100 back … Won the 100 back in a win over Florida Atlantic … Registered second in the 200 back at Alabama … Notched third-place finishes in both backstroke races at Florida State … Named the Most Improved Swimmer at the program’s annual banquet … Received his second varsity letter.
FRESHMAN SEASON (2008-09)
Solid contributor in backstroke races in his first year … Held the team’s fastest 200-yard backstroke time as a freshman … Competed in every dual meet, Texas A&M’s Art Adamson Invitational and SEC Championships … Proved to be a pleasant surprise as an exhibition swimmer at SEC’s … Swam to a career-best time of 1:46.82 in the 200 back, fifth all-time at LSU … Also posted a career-best of 49.41 in the 100 back, which is ninth-fastest in school history, and a personal best of 1:43.32 in the 200 free … Reached the ‘A’ final of the 200 back at the Art Adamson Invitational, placing eighth with a mark of 1:49.83 … Notched 12th in the 100 back at the same meet … Captured runner-up honors in the 200 back at the LSU Invitational … Took third in the 100 back at the same competition … Secured third-place finishes in the 200 back in wins over both No. 18 Florida State and No. 24 Kentucky … Earned his first varsity letter.
PRIOR TO LSU
International prospect who attended high school in Florida … Specialized in backstroke races at the prep level … Brings in top times of 51.12 and 1.51.25 in the 100 and 200 back events, respectively … Coached by Michael Lohberg.
PERSONAL
Born March 20, 1989 in Mechernich, Germany … Parents are Hermann-Josef and Adelheid Diefenthal … Has one brother, Tim … Majoring in economics.
SIMON’S TOP TIMES
200 freestyle, 1:42.36, 2010 SEC Championships
100 backstroke, 48.11, 2011 SEC Championships
200 backstroke, 1:44.95, 2011 SEC Championships