SJC Swim Team Announces 2009 Awards

STANDISH, ME - Saint Joseph's College Swimming Head Coach Rick Horr has announced his 2009 team awards. Most Valuable, Most Improved and Monk Awards were presented to individuals on both the men's and women's teams.

For the women's squad, Hannah Gajewski '12 (Biddeford, ME/McAuley) has been named as the Most Valuable Swimmer, Katie Brooks '11 (North Kingstown, RI) has garnered Most Improved honors, and Ashton Piers '09 (Falmouth, ME/Deering) has been given the Monk Award.

Gajewski , the 2009 GNAC Rookie Swimmer of the Year, broke nine SJC individual program records and participated on four record-setting relay teams as a freshman. Overall, she participated in 22 events with 17 first-place finishes and five second-place efforts.

Brooks notched four top finishes during her sophomore campaign and swam legs for the program record-breaking 200 and 400 Medley relay teams in 2009. She set new personal bests in the 100-Back, 100-IM, 200-IM and 500-Free events.

Piers takes the Monk Award, which goes to the individual who is a great teammate, displays the tenets of sportsmanship and exemplifies integrity in and out of the pool. The tri-captain won seven events during the 2009 season.

The Saint Joseph's swim program continued to show rapid development in its second year as a varsity sport. The women's squad posted a solid 7-1 record in eight meets and finished in second in the GNAC Championship meet in 2009.