April 18, 1999

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State University men's and women's swimming and diving teams handed out its annual awards at Saturday's banquet at the MSU Union.

Senior swimmer John Munley (Kalamazoo, Mich.) and senior diver Kim Zieman (Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada) were named Most Valuable Athletes.

Munley, a two-time winner, led the Spartans in the 200 and 500-yard freestyle. He swam two lifetime bests at the Big Ten Championships, earning third in the 200 freestyle (1:37.57) and ninth in the 500 freestyle (4:25.86). Munley also assisted the team in the 400 freestyle relay, 800 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay.

Zieman was the women's top point producer at the Big Ten Championships. She finished fifth in the 1-meter for the second consecutive year with 403 points. Zieman finished sixth in the 3-meter with a score of 469.45, her best scoring performance. Zieman finished ninth in the 3-meter dive and eighth in the 1-meter dive at the NCAA Zone C Diving Championships.

Senior co-captains Julie Ruby (South Haven, Mich.) and Paula Buchlaski (Midland, Mich.) received the Women's Outstanding Leadership award. Ruby and Buchalski

The Most Improved Athletes were swimmer Rachel Frumkin (West Bllomfield, Mich.) and diver Jason Owens (Plainwell, Mich.).

Frumkin led the women in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:19.07 on both Jan. 22 and Feb. 20. Frumkin also had the best time (1:06.17) in the 100 breaststroke.

Owens led the men in the diving events with four first-place finishes in the 1- and 3-meter dives. He competed in the Big Ten Championships and NCAA Zone C Diving Championships.

The Outstanding Freshman awards went to Scott Shafer (Centerville, VA), Aaron Mahaney (Easton, PA), Mike Robbins (Chesapeake, VA) and Carly Weiden (Kentwood, Mich.).

Shafer, Mahaney and Robbins played major roles in both individual and relay events for the Spartans.

Weiden held the season best performance in the 1-meter dive (six dives) with a score of 292.5 on Jan. 30. She finished seventh in the 1-meter dive and 12th in the 3-meter at the Big Ten Championships. Weiden also produced a seventh-place finish in the 3-meter and 1-meter dives at the NCAA Zone C Diving Championships.

The "100% Award" was given to Chris Koerner and Ellen Jernstadt. Daniel Bacheler received the Jack Seibold "Sparty" Award. more

A Record Breaker award was given to Ashby Baldock (Talahassee, Fla.) for setting a new record in the 200-yard backstroke (2:01.88) on February 20. Jami Archambault previously held the record with a time of 2:02.57.

Also being honored at the banquet were this year's Academic All-Big Ten selections: junior Trevor Asti (West Bloomfield, Mich.), senior Daniel Bacheler (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.), senior John Bruesch (Lombard, Ill.), junior Tom Goniea (Trenton, Mich.), senior Mike Mulshine (Midlothian, VA), sophomore Laura Atkinson (Ann Arbor, Mich.), junior Paula Buchalski (Midland, Mich.), senior Rachel Frumkin (West Bloomfield, Mich.), senior Stacey Ketchum (Wyoming, Mich.), junior Catrin Lenfers (Hildesheim, Germany), sophomore Stephanie Merkey (Muskegon, Mich.), sophomore Joni Sturgeon (Okemos, Mich.), sophomore Heather Wing (Ann Arbor, Mich.), and senior Kim Zieman (Stony Plain, Alberta).

Seniors receiving recognition were: Bacheler, Bruesch, Mulshine, manager Matt Wagner, Buckalski, Kelly Flowers (Gainesville, Fla.), Frumkin, Jernstadt, Ketchum, Dawn Polk (Dearborn, Mich,), Ruby and Zieman.

The men's team, finished 4-4 overall, 1-4 in the Big Ten and placed 10th at the Big Ten Championships. The Spartan women's teams were 2-7 overall, 0-7 in the Big Ten and placed 11th at the Big Ten Championships.

Head coach of the Spartans is Richard Bader. He is assisted by Matt Gianiodis and Mary Ellen Wydan. The diving coach is John Narcy.

1998-1999 MSU SWIMMING & DIVING AWARDS

MOST VALUABLE ATHLETE - John Munley, Kim Zieman

OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP - Julie Ruby, Paula Buchalski

MOST IMPROVED - Jason Owens, Rachel Frumkin

OUTSTANDING FRESHMAN - Scott Shafer, Aaron Mahaney, Mike Robbins, Carly Weiden

100% AWARD - Chris Koerner, Ellen Jernstadt

VARSITY RECORD BREAKERS - Ashby Baldock

JACK SEIBOLD "SPARTY" AWARD - Daniel Bacheler

ACADEMIC ALL-BIG TEN - Trevor Asti, Daniel Bacheler, John Bruesch, Tom Goniea, Mike Mulshine, Laura Atkinson, Paula Buchalski, Rachel Frumkin, Stacey Ketchum, Catrin Lenfers, Stephanie Merkey, Joni Sturgeon, Heather Wing, Kim Zieman

SENIOR GOLDEN SPIKES AWARD - Daniel Bacheler, John Bruesch, Mike Mulshine, Matt Wagner, Paula Buchalski, Kelly Flowers, Rachel Frumkin, Ellen Jernstadt, Stacey Ketchum, Dawn Polk, Julie Ruby, Kim Zieman