University of Houston Athletics
Three Houston Swimming and Diving Athletes Earn Postseason Awards
4/16/2010 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
April 16, 2010
HOUSTON - The University of Houston swimming and diving team took home three Conference USA specialty awards as selected by the league's head coaches. Anastasia Pozdniakova was named the Diver of the Year, while Reka Kovacs and Julia Lonnegren were named Freshman Swimmer and Diver of the Year, respectively.
Pozdniakova earned her third C-USA Diver of the Year award in her senior season. The Elektrostal, Russia, native was also selected as the NCAA Diver of the year after winning the 1-meter event at the NCAA Championships. In addition to her second consecutive 1-meter NCAA title, Pozdniakova finished in second place in the 3-meter event for a second straight year. She finished her C-USA career, winning both the 1-meter and 3-meter events at the C-USA Championships for the third time in her career. Houston divers have captured all nine Diver of the Year awards.
Kovacs claimed the Freshman Swimmer of the Year honor following great first year and an excellent showing at the C-USA Championships. She earned first place with a time of 4:16.24 in the 400-yard IM. That mark broke the C-USA Meet and Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Natatorium record and qualified as an NCAA `B' time. Kovacs would also earn second place in the 200-yard IM in 2:02.42. The Budapest, Hungary, native recorded another NCAA `B' mark by touching the wall in 2:16.19 in the 200-yard breaststroke earning fourth place at the meet.
Lonnegren became the eighth Cougar in nine years to take home Freshman Diver of the Year honors. The Sweden native earned third place in the 1-meter and platform events at the C-USA Championships. Lonnegren joined the team in the second semester but made up for missed time. She was named C-USA Diver of the Week after only her second competition when she won the 3-meter and was second in the 1-meter event at a dual meet against LSU, Tulane and Rice.
Lonnegren will look to parlay her outstanding freshman year into continued success as she will be called upon to help lead the Cougar divers after one of the most decorated athletes in Houston history, Pozdniakova, graduates.
SMU's Therese Svendsen was named the Swimmer of the Year and Tulane's Kylie Kastes earned Newcomer of the Year honors.
Houston has won 19 C-USA specialty awards since the conference began passing out accolades in 2002. SMU has earned the second most awards with six.
Players Mentioned
