May 14, 2003
Swimming Teams Honor Teammates at End of the Season Banquet
The Truman men's and women's swimming teams held their annual end of the season banquet last week, honoring several individuals who contributed to the outstanding success the teams enjoyed this past season.
First-year head coach Colleen Murphy presided over the festivities honoring members of this past season's three-time national champion women's swim team and the 12th-place men's team. The team awards for Most Valuable Swimmers went to senior Matt Pray (Naperville, Ill.) for the men and was shared by seniors Liz Hug (Maryville, Mo./Collinsville) and Kelli Dudley (Topeka, Kan./West) on the women's side.
Pray became the highest national finisher in the history of the men's program as a sophomore in 2001 when he placed second in the 200-yard butterfly. The four-year and 21-time all-America culminated an outstanding career at the NCAA Division II Championships where he was third in the 200-yard butterfly, breaking his own Bulldog mark with a time of 1:47.99. Pray was also fourth in the 100-yard butterfly, and was part of the 400-yard medley relay team that finished fourth (3:23.55) and set a new Truman record; the 800-yard freestyle relay team that sixth and set a Bulldog mark (6:52.54); and the 200-yard freestyle relay squad that was sixth. His time of 48.58 in the prelims of the 100 fly surpassed the old Truman standard that was also held by Pray.
Dudley is a four-year and six-time national champion after winning the 200-yard backstroke in 2000, the 100-yard backstroke in 2001, as part of the 400-yard medley relay in 2002 and in the 400-yard individual medley, the 200-yard backstroke and as part of the NCAA record-setting 400-medley relay team in 2003. She is a 23-time all-America, after also finishing second in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard backstroke in her final season in 2003.
As a senior, in the preliminary heat for the 400 IM, Dudley set an NCAA record by .01 of a second (4:20.67) and set a new school mark in the 200-yard backstroke prelims (2:00.49).
Hug is four-year and 12-time national champion after winning the 1,000-yard freestyle and 200-yard individual medley, as part of the winning 800-yard freestyle relay squad and the NCAA-record setting 400-medley and 400-yard freestyle relay teams in 2003; in the 200-yard individual medley and 500-yard freestyle and as part of three relay teams (400-yard medley and 400- and 800-yard freestyle) as a junior in 2002; as part of the 800-yard freestyle relay in 2001 and as a member of the 200-yard freestyle relay in 2000.
She is 28-time all-America after also placing second in the 500-yard freestyle and fourth in the 200-yard free in 2003.
As a senior, Hug helped set an NCAA record in the 400-medley relay and 400-yard freestyle relay at the national meet.
She holds Truman records in the 200-yard individual medley and as part of the 400- and 800-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard medley relay teams.
The awards for Most Improved Swimmers were given to junior Brian Teson (Kansas City, Mo./Saint Pius X) and freshman Katie Funk (Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa City).
Funk, a true freshman, made the national cut in her first season and earned four all-America honors with a fifth-place showing in the 1,650-yard freestyle, a sixth-place finish in the 500 free, a ninth-place finish in the 1,000-yard freestyle and after placing 15th in the 200 free.
Teson became a six-time all-America this year after adding a 10th-place finish in the 200 medley relay (1:33.26); a 16-th-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly (51.11); a fourth-place finish in the 400 medley relay (3:23.55); and a sixth-place finish in the 800 free relay (6:52.45) to his list. He made is first trip to the NCAA meet as sophomore in 2002, earning all-America status as part of the seventh-place 200- and 400-yard medley relay teams.
The Jessica Martin Scholarship award winner was sophomore Diana Betsworth (East Moline, Ill./United Township). After winning five national titles as a true freshman, she followed up this season by repeating as the national champion in the 500-yard freestyle (4:53.98) and as part of the winning 400- (3:2.82) and 800-yard (7:26.88) freestyle relay teams. In 2003, she also placed second in the 100- (50.81), 200- (1:50.27) and 1,000-yard (10:08.54) freestyles and as part of the 200 free relay (1:33.82).
A new team award was instituted this year and also voted on by the team, the Bulldog Award. It was presented to the team member who best exemplified the qualities of a Bulldog swimmer, including hard work, dedication, team spirit and dedication to the team's goals and team unity. Junior Alison Blyth (Clive, Iowa/Dowling) and sophomore Phil Brown (Estes Park, Colo.) were the first Bulldogs to receive the honor. Blyth made her second trip to the NCAA championships, garnering a ninth-place finish in the 200-yard butterfly (2:06.33), a 13th-place finish in the 1,000 free (10:32.05) and a 15th-place finish in the 1,650 free (17:46.41). Brown narrowly missed making his second trip to nationals, but was an integral part of the men's success this season.
Murphy and the team also recognized and handed out all-America awards.
This year's senior class was thanked for its hard work and dedication over the past four years.
"They were definitely one of the most influential classes in Truman history," Murphy said. "Their contribution to the swim team has made the Truman team what it is today."
Other seniors recognized were Jay Westensee (Rock Island, Ill.); Ellen
Frick (Manhattan, Kan.); Sara Hatcher (Kingdom City, Mo./North Callaway);
Amanda Shearer (Bartlesville, Okla.) and Diana Young (Woodbury, Minn.).