Cardinals Celebrate Historic Season at Banquet

Arthur Albiero addresses the audience at the 2019 Swim and Dive Banquet

April 07, 2019 | Swimming & Diving

Louisville bestows 13 awards at Brown Williamson Room

By: Nancy Worley

The University of Louisville men's and women's swimming and diving team awarded their best and brightest stars at the annual Swimming and Diving Team Awards Banquet held at the Brown Williamson Room at Cardinal Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Cardinals made a historical run this season. History was made on the final night of the NCAA Championships as the University of Louisville men's swimming and diving team had program-record fifth place finish on Saturday evening at the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center. The Cardinals' 212 points were also the most scored by a Louisville team at an NCAA Championships. Prior to this year's NCAA Championships, the Louisville men's top finish occurred in both 2018 and 2012 when the Cardinals placed ninth overall.The men finished second in the ACC Championships.

Following the Louisville women's fourth place finish the 2019 NCAA Championships, the Cardinals become the first ACC program in history to have both its men's and women's teams finish among the top-five in the team standings at NCAAs in the same year. The women's team finished third in the ACC Championships. The women's NCAA week was highlighted by a pair of national championships by Mallory Comerford.

The following athletes were given the awards at the banquet:

Freshmen of the Year: Alena Kraus, Bartosz Piszczorowicz, Mitchell Whyte

Ralph Wright Most Memorable Performance: Mallory Comerford and the men's 400 Free Relay team (Nick Albiero, Zach Harting, Andrej Barna, Bartosz Pisczcorowicz.

Academic Awards: Women: Clara Baggett, Morgan Friesen, Caitlin Ahern, Rachel Howard, Sophie Cattermole; Men: Nikkos Sofianidis, Daniel Sos, Nick Albiero

Cardinal Spirit Award: Lainey Visscher, T.C. Smith, Jarrett Jones

Underclassmen Unity Award: Daniel Pinto, Daniel Sos, Morgan Friesen

The Joseph Mittel Award: Alina Kendzior, Marcelo Acosta

Relay Award: Women's 200 Free Relay (Lainey Visscher, Mallory Comerford, Avery Braunecker, Casey Fanz) ; Men's 400 Medley Relay: Nick Albiero, Zach Harting, Evgenii Somov, Andrej Barna and the 200 Medley Relay: Mitchell Whyte, Evgenii Somov, Zach Harting, Andrej Barna.

Most Improved Athlete: Michaela Sliney, Kaylee Wheeler, Maria Sumida, Mihalis Deliyiannis, Mitchell Whyte, Tanner Cummings

The Coaches Award: Grace Oglesby, Zach Harting

The Rick Hill Award: Mallory Comerford, Nick Albiero

The Christine Simatacolos Cardinal Support Award: Zach Brooks

Igniting Performance Award: Grace Oglesby's 200 Fly; 800 Free Relay: Zach Harting, Nick Albiero, Bartosz Piszczorowicz, Colton Paulson

Perseverance Award: Nikkos Sofianidis, Abel Aulbach, Daniel Fecteau, Molly Fears