Men's Swimming And Diving Announces 2008-09 Team Awards
Apr 17 | Men's Swimming & Diving
April 17, 2009
DALLAS (SMU)-SMU men's swimming and diving announced 2008-09 team awards in their annual season banquet. Honored at the event were seven All-Americans, including the team's most valuable athletes Thomas Fadnes and Pontus Renholm, while eight seniors were bid farewell.
Fadnes, a junior, earned Most Valuable for his outstanding performances in the 50 and 100 free, as well as the free and medley relays. In the 50, Fadnes broke the school and conference record with a time of 19.54 on Feb. 25 at C-USA Championships for the title. He was also named C-USA Champion in the 100 free. Fadnes also helped the Mustangs win conference titles in the 200, 400 free relays, as well as the 200, 400 medley relays, and was a part of the 200 free and 200 medley relay teams that set new school and C-USA records. At NCAA Championships, Fadnes earned All-America status for his relay efforts and is a current three-time All-American.
Sharing Most Valuable honors, juniorPontus Renholm swam to two new conference records as the champion in the 100 and 200 back at C-USA Championships in the Mustangs' 13th conference title win, touching in at 46.74 and 1:43.50 respectively. Renholm was also a member of the conference and school record-breaking 200 medley relay team. At NCAA Championships, Renholm earned All-America status for his relay efforts and ends his SMU career as a three-time All-American.
Junior Edward Downes was named Newcomer of the Year after an exceptional C-USA Championships in which he was named Swimmer of the Meet. Downes is a six-time C-USA Champion, having raced to first place finishes in the 200 and 400 IM, 200 fly, 400 medley relay, and 800 free relay. Downes set new individual conference records in the 200 fly and 400 IM.
The Mustangs also honored senior Chris Ginder with the A.R. Red Barr Award, which is reserved for a member of the team who displays dedication, loyalty, leadership, humility, and compassion. Ginder, a career long-distance swimmer, ranked second on the team in the 1000 and 1650 free, and third in the 500 free.
The graduating seniors also partook in the awards ceremony, honoring those who helped them establish prominent careers by giving strength and conditioning coach Kip Ledbetter the Seniors Award. Ledbetter was awarded by the senior class for being instrumental in their success.
List of Honors
All-Americas
Robin Andreasson (200 & 400 free relay)
Greg Doughty (200 free relay)
Thomas Fadnes (200 & 400 free relay, 200 medley relay)
Grega Plevelj (200 medley relay)
Pontus Renholm (200 medley relay, 400 free relay, 100 back)
Walter Rumans (200 & 400 free relay)
Luka Vrtovec (200 & 400 relay, 200 medley relay)
Most Valuable
Pontus Renhom
Newcomer of the Year
Ed Downes
Most Improved
A.R. Red Barr Award
Senior Award
Kip Ledbetter
2009-10 Team Captains
Ed Downes
